Researchers figured out how to make electric car batteries… from coal?!

Published

5 months ago

December 13, 2024

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Coal granules are prepared for loading into a reactor that converts coal to char and coal liquids, which will eventually be turned into graphite and gas in another reactor. Carlos Jones/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy

Researchers from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory have figured out a way to change the dirtiest fuel out there, coal, into materials to help build batteries for new clean vehicles.

The new process turns coal into graphite, which is an important component in electric car batteries. Graphite is used in the anode, which is the negatively charged end of the battery.

While we hear a lot about various other battery materials, such as lithium and cobalt, those materials actually occur in relatively lower quantities in electric car batteries.

The most common material in these batteries is actually graphite (see an infographic here, though this is for NMC-type batteries), so it’s important to ensure that there is a large supply of this material anywhere batteries need to be built.

And one of those places is in the US – thanks to President Joe Biden’s EV policies, there have been hundreds of billions in investment and hundreds of thousands of jobs brought to American manufacturing, largely in the form of battery plants to ensure that vehicles with modern technology will be made right here in America. Those policies also focused on ensuring onshored or “friend-shored” critical mineral supply for battery materials, such as graphite.

But there’s a problem: a majority of the world’s graphite comes from China. While this isn’t necessarily a problem in and of itself, it’s always better to have multiple sources for any particular material, so that one entity can’t throw their weight around if they see an opportunity. And given the anti-China saber-rattling that a certain treasonous reality TV host regularly engages in, it’s entirely possible that global tensions could result in disruption of graphite supply chains, which could then jeopardize the aforementioned burgeoning US EV manufacturing industry (which that same reality TV host/convicted felon seems determined to ensure does not flourish).

So, in come researchers from Oak Ridge National Laboratories, who figured out a way to turn something that America still has a lot of – coal – into graphite.

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It’s not too big of a leap, as graphite is a form of carbon and coal is also mostly carbon. But ORNL’s process takes impurities in coal and removes them to create material that is suitable for a battery anode.

Other methods to create synthetic graphite exist, but require more time, more cost and higher temperatures. The new process is estimated to cost 13% less than the old Acheson process, according to an analysis by ORNL researcher Prashant Nagapurkar.

In the ORNL process, if the electricity is green, the whole process is green. Especially because coal historically has this reputation as ‘dirty,’ a particularly important next step is to track emissions from the entire supply chain through the manufacturing process. This could demonstrate that it is indeed a greener option to manufacture graphite from coal.

–Prashant Nagapurkar, ORNL R&D associate

Better yet, the process doesn’t just work on coal straight out of the ground (which is where coal belongs and should stay) – it also works on coal waste like fly ash, the leftovers of previous coal mining efforts, of which there are over a hundred million tons of this hazardous waste strewn about the country. Thankfully, most of this is on the surface and won’t require further mining to get to.

Researchers say that the process could help to clean up that waste, and give it a use in powering modern vehicles. They estimate that the amount of waste in the US would be enough to provide around 30% of the graphite needed for EV batteries between now and 2050.

The process doesn’t need to be used only on coal, though. Project lead Edgar Lara-Curzio explained to Electrek how it could have potential applications on other sources of carbon:

However, while this particular project focuses on finding a positive use for coal waste, the electrochemical graphitization technology that we are scaling up can be used with other amorphous carbon sources. Once we get rid of waste coal – which would be a major environmental restoration achievement in itself – biomass (e.g., dead vegetation), petroleum, or other carbon sources could be used to manufacture graphite using the same process.

For example, methane pyrolysis, which can be used to produce hydrogen, generates solid carbon as a byproduct, which could be electrochemically graphitized for lithium-ion battery applications. This technology offers the benefit of strengthening domestic supply chains for graphite rather than relying on graphite mined and processed in foreign countries, many of which have much weaker environmental and worker protections.

The ORNL project was done in collaboration with Ramaco Carbon, a Wyoming-based company that owns multiple coal mines and provides coal for steelmaking. Ramaco says that its guiding principle is “coal is too valuable to burn.” Its focus is to find uses for coal that replace petroleum as a feedstock for various chemical and material processes at what it says will be a much lower cost.

Electrek’s Take

At first glance, this seems like some really great research. It onshores graphite supply, offers some scalable competition globally to diversify battery material sources, can be used on old waste, and is cheaper than existing processes.

But it also feels a little sketchy, because what we need to be focusing on is keeping carbon in the ground.

When we take carbon out of the ground, we sure do have a tendency to burn it, which means it ends up in the air, which is bad. Currently the air is 423ppm carbon, which is higher than the 280-350ppm range that represents a proper balance for current life on Earth. This means we don’t need to be taking carbon out of the ground, we need to be putting it back in the ground – and a lot of it.

So, any new process that might make us look at that carbon in the ground and think of another way that we might use it is suspect.

At least in this instance, it’s being proposed by a company that owns coal mines not for burning, but for finding other uses. So they might not use this as an excuse to burn more coal. Which is nice.

However, there has also been a significant push lately for coal-free steel, led by companies like SSAB in Sweden. Coal-based steelmaking (like that which Ramaco provides coal for) is linked to nearly a thousand deaths, $13 billion in healthcare costs and hundreds of thousands of lost school and work days annually in the US.

Given that this research was done in collaboration with a company that provides coal for that same dirty process, it gives us some pause. The process of turning coal into batteries will be cleaner than simply burning coal into the air, and graphite is potentially recyclable and usable long-term in multiple generations of electric car batteries, but it’s hard to shake the fact that coal is one of the most-polluting substances humans have available to us.

So, would we be giving ourselves more reasons to take coal out of the ground with this process? Even though researchers point out that coal waste can be used in this process, what if companies find out that it’s more difficult or costly to process the waste than it is to dig up new coal?

Given that we stubbornly refuse to impose the real price of this pollution on the companies that cause it, it’s entirely possible that coal mines will figure out a way to use this to justify their continued operation (especially whenever a republican administration, who have routinely shown themselves to be hostile to human health and too cozy with the coal industry, finds itself in charge).

So while new science is never a bad thing, this strikes me as something that we should keep an eye on. Cleaning up the environmental disaster of stranded coal waste is a fantastic usage, but lets not let this forestall the rapid shutting down of coal mines in this country.

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Environment

All the best EV and PHEV rebate deals we could find for April 2025 [update]

Published

1 hour ago

April 28, 2025

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All the best EV and PHEV rebate deals we could find for April 2025 [update]

Cynics will point at big rebates and claim they mean the vehicle isn’t selling, but that just exposes them for the industry noobs that they are. A rebate is a powerful financial tool that helps dealers overcome obstacles like negative equity, poor credit, and down payment requirements and get you to drive home in the car of your dreams today.

So if you’re dealing with any of the above, but still hope to slide behind the wheel of a new EV before new tariffs kick in, pay attention: these EVs could get you behind the wheel of a new electric ride sooner than you think!

UPDATE: Kia really, really wants you to buy a new EV this month!

As I was putting this list together, I realized there were plenty of ways for me to present this information. “Biggest EV incentive deals ..?” Not everyone qualifies for every rebate. “Most stackable EV rebates ..?” Too confusing. In the end, I went with national cash back offers and chose to present them in alphabetical order, by make. And, as for which deals are new this month? You’re just gonna have to read the article. Enjoy!

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BMW XM

It may look like an angry space beaver on the outside, but BMW advertises itself as the Ultimate Driving Machine, not the Ultimate Style Machine — and by all accounts, the big BMW PHEV is one, if not the best-handling big SUVs out there.

With up to 30 miles of all electric range and a powerful V8 engine, it’s not savaing any trees, but now through April 30th, all versions of the plug-in hybrid offer $12,500 in lease or APR cash. If you’re financing your XM PHEV, BMW Financial is also offering 3.99% financing for up to 60 months, with a 72-month option at 4.49% APR.

Chevy BrightDrop

We recently highlighted a Costco offer that stacks a $25,500 manufacturer rebate with $3,000 in “regular” Costco Member Savings, $2,750 in “LIMITED-TIME” Manufacturer to Member Incentives, plus an additional $250 for Costco Executive members.

That’s more than $30,000 off the MSRP of one of the best, most capable commercial vans on the market – ICE or electric. And that’s before you factor in the 0% interest financing (72 mo.) being advertised on Chevy dealer websites.

Chrysler Pacifica PHEV

When the plug-in hybrid Chrysler Pacifica minivan first went on sale all the way back in 2016, it seemed to imply that the old Chrysler Corporation was going to race ahead of the other “Big Three” legacy US carmakers.

That didn’t happen, but the Pacifica is still the king of cupholders, while the van’s stow n’ go seating, and all the other practical, clever details that add up to remind you Chrysler invented these things. Through April 30th, you can get a $7,500 cash allowance plus $7,500 in Federal income tax credits on Pacific Plug-in Hybrid Select, S, and Pinnacle trim level vans.

Dodge Charger EV

As the auto industry transitions to electric, Dodge is hoping that at least a few muscle car enthusiasts with extra cash, will find their way to a Dodge store and ask for the meanest, loudest, tire-shreddingest thing on the lot.

These days, that’s the new electric Charger – and you still owed money on the Hemi you just totaled, Dodge will help get the deal done on its latest retro ride with a $6,500 rebate on 2025 models or $3,000 plus 0% financing for up to 72 months on 2024s.

Dodge Hornet PHEV

Despite objectively being one of the slowest-selling new cars in North American, the Dodge Hornet eAWD PHEV offers specs that could make a compelling case for die-hard Dodge fans who are curious about EVs, but still worried about finding charging away from home.

If that’s you, the Hornet offers over 30 miles of all-electric range from its 12 kWH battery and a decently quick 0-60 mph — then sweetens the deal even more with $6,500 in lease cash to help bring the payment down.

Jeep Wrangler 4xe

Jeep China — Wrangler 4xe and its 49 miles of all-electric range; via Stellantis.

While not much of an EV with “just” a 17.3 kWh battery, the PHEV version Jeep’s iconic Wrangler is often the cheapest version of the SUV to lease – a fact that’s seen the 4xe variants become a popular choice. Now through April 30th, Stellantis is offering up to $8,000 in cash allowance (not counting dealer discounts and other local incentives) in hopes that this latest offer is one you can’t refuse.

Kia Niro EV

One of the most underrated little runabouts on the market, the Kia Niro EV is more fun to drive than you think it’ll be, with zippy acceleration, solid quality, and an approachable sort of anonymity that I think a lot of Tesla drivers would appreciate right now.

Now through April 30th, Kia is offering up to $8,500 cash back on remaining 2024 Niro EVs and $7,500 on 2025 models. If you don’t like paying interest, Kia has 0% financing for up to 72 months on ’24s and a sweet $129/mo. lease deal on ’25 models – so whatever your specific needs are, your Kia dealer probably has a Niro EV deal they can get to work for you.

Kia EV6 GT

CarsDirect is reporting 24-month leases on the positively awesome Kia EV6 GT featuring up to $19,000 in lease cash through May 1st. Other EV6 variants get decent cash back offers, too – be sure to ask your local dealer about the one you’re interested in.

Kia EV9

I’ve been seeing Kia’s excellent, hot-selling tree-row electric SUV all over the ‘burbs, lately — and it’s hardly a wonder why. In addition to being a great car, the Kia EV9 has some of the most aggressive customer incentives in the business, with $11,000 cash back for conventional financing customers and a whopping $16,000 lease cash on 24 month terms through May 1 (36 and 48 month lessors still get a pretty incredible $15,000 cash back).

Get used to seeing these around, in other words. If not in your own driveway, certainly in some of your neighbors’!

Nissan Ariya and LEAF

2024 Nissan LEAF and Ariya “Hero” shot; via Nissan.

The inspiration for this article was a hypothetical $9,140 Nissan LEAF deal that I hastily concocted while walking the floor of the 2025 Chicago Auto Show, but the fact remains that even with “just” the $8,500 cash back being advertised through April 30, the ~~$28,140~~ $19,640 Nissan LEAF is probably the most affordable new car you can buy in the US. If you can score some additional local incentives and dealer discounts, so much the better.

If you want something a bit more modern (and with Tesla Supercharger access), the bigger, more conventional Ariya crossover also packs some solid offers with up to $7,500 in Customer Cash.

Polestar 3

OK, this one’s cheating — the Swedish/Chinese love child of Volvo, Geely, and the championship-winning go-fast gurus at Cyan Racing, Polestar is announcing up to $20,000 in incentives to convince some (but, crucially, not all) customers to trade in their existing EVs on a new Polestar.

The catch? You have to trade in a Tesla to get the $20K. At the rate those cars are depreciating, though, that might be the best offer you’ll get out there!

Toyota bZ4X

Toyota-$10,000-discount-bZ4X — 2025 Toyota bZ4X EV; via Toyota.

It’s not breaking any sales records, but the Toyota bZ4X is a solid five-passenger crossover EV that should meet any suburbanite’s needs with enough of Toyota’s legendary quality baked in to make it a safe bet for a decade-plus of hassle-free driving. Plus, with $10,000 in TFS Lease Subvention cash and plenty of dealer discounts floating around, it might be the best deal in Toyota’s current lineup.

Volkswagen ID.4

Volkswagen-EVs-in-2023 — VW ID.4; via Volkswagen.

One of the most popular legacy EVs, the ID.4 offers Volkswagen build quality and (for 2024) a Chat-GPT enabled interface. To keep ID.4 sales rolling, VW dealers are getting aggressive with discounts, making this fast-charging, 291 mile EPA-rated range, 5-star safety rated EV a value proposition that’s tough to beat.

This month, buy a Volkswagen ID.4 with up to $10,500 in Customer Bonus Cash or lease one with $7,500 in Lease Bonus cash.

Volvo C40, XC60 T8 Recharge

Volvo is offering up to $8,500 ($7,500 in customer cash, $1,000 in loyalty cash) off the price of remaining new C40s — the brand’s sporty, high-riding crossover coupe that happened to be its first dedicated EV offering in the US. If the C40 doesn’t suit you, the same deals are available on the more conventionally styled XC40 Recharge, too.

Buyers looking for one of Volvo’s excellent (IMO) T8 PHEV models can score up to $4,000 in allowances before the real discounting begins — and if, like me, your tastes run more towards Swedish sedans than SUVs, you might want to score yourself a sweet deal on a new S90 while you still can.

Disclaimer: the vehicle models and rebate deals above were sourced from sites like CarsDirect, CarEdge, USNews, and (where mentioned) the OEM websites – and were current 21APR2025. Despite my best efforts to filter these, some deals may not be available in your market, or to every buyer (the standard “with approved credit” fine print should be considered implied). Check with your local dealer(s) for more information.

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New York lawmakers are trying to shut down Tesla stores

Published

1 hour ago

April 28, 2025

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New York lawmakers are trying to shut down Tesla stores

New York state lawmakers have launched an effort to shut down Tesla’s stores in the state by revoking its waiver to allow direct sales.

Several states in the US have laws prohibiting the direct sale of electric vehicles to the public without going through third-party dealerships.

These bans stem from outdated laws intended to protect car dealers from their own automakers supplying the vehicles.

The idea is that automakers cannot open a company-owned store next to a third-party car dealer after they have invested in selling and servicing their cars. It would be unfair competition.

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Now, some car dealerships are using those old laws to prevent automakers that have never had deals with third-party franchise dealers, such as Tesla and Rivian, from selling their vehicles to the public, even though it constitutes fair competition.

Tesla has been fighting those laws in many states with some success.

In New York, the anti-direct sale law remains in effect. Still, Tesla managed to obtain an exemption to open a few stores and service centers, despite its bid to expand being curtailed by the local dealership association.

Now, state legislators in New York are pushing to remove Tesla’s exemption and grant it to other electric vehicle (EV) automakers.

Senator Patricia Fahy, who was once an ally to Tesla in its fight to be allowed to sell in New York, is now leading the effort to remove Tesla’s waiver (via New York Times):

Ms. Fahy, a Democrat whose district includes Albany, and other state lawmakers are pushing to revoke a legislative waiver that has let Tesla directly operate five New York dealerships rather than sell cars through dealer franchises, as other carmakers must do.

Fahy’s effort stems from her regret of having supported Tesla in the past:

“Maybe I’m making amends,” Ms. Fahy replied when asked about her previous support for Tesla. Mr. Musk, she said, is “part of an administration that is killing all the grant funding for electric vehicle infrastructure, killing wind energy, killing anything that might address climate change. Why should we give them a monopoly?”

Many, like Fahy, believe that CEO Elon Musk’s support for Trump and their efforts to curtail EV adoption amount to Musk pulling the ladder that helped Tesla dominate the EV space, just as other EV companies need it.

To be fair, the state senator is not completely changing her stance on direct sales because of Musk’s involvement with Tesla. Instead, she changed her opinion on giving Tesla a waiver:

Ms. Fahy now views Tesla’s waiver as an unfair advantage, and wants the company to forfeit its five licenses by 2026. Under her plan, the licenses could be redistributed to rival electric-vehicle manufacturers like Rivian, Lucid and the Volkswagen affiliate Scout Motors, which also employ a direct-to-consumer sales approach.

Tesla has long outgrown its waiver allowing five stores in New York, and lately, it has started using a loophole to open stores on native land in the state.

Electrek’s Take

I’ve made my thoughts clear about direct sales. They should be allowed for any automakers who don’t use franchise dealers. That includes Tesla.

I think Tesla should be allowed to sell its vehicles in New York, and people should be allowed to boycott them.

However, I agree that Tesla getting a specific waiver is unfair. Any new automaker, like Rivian, Lucid, etc., should also be able to open stores freely in the state.

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PayPal kicks off fintech earnings as investors fear impact of Trump tariffs on consumer spending

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2 hours ago

April 28, 2025

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PayPal kicks off fintech earnings as investors fear impact of Trump tariffs on consumer spending

FILE PHOTO: A smartphone with the PayPal logo is placed on a laptop in this illustration taken on July 14, 2021.

Dado Ruvic | Reuters

PayPal, Block and Affirm are all closely tied to the health of the consumer, which has investors on edge headed into their earnings reports.

Markets broadly have been jittery to start the year due largely to concerns about President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs and the prospect of higher import costs leading to rising unemployment and reduced consumer spending.

Specific to e-commerce, there’s the end of de minimis trade exemptions for Chinese imports, effective May 2. That change, aimed at discount shopping apps like Temu and Shein, threatens tens of billions of dollars in low-cost cross-border e-commerce volume.

“Tariff implications and macro have added another wrinkle to ’25,” Wells Fargo analysts wrote in a note on April 16. The bank said PayPal is particularly exposed to tariff-related volatility and macro uncertainty, given that 90% of its revenue comes from consumer-driven transactions.

PayPal is the first in the group to report earnings on Tuesday. Block, the parent of Square, follows on Thursday. Affirm is scheduled to report results next Thursday. Their stock prices have been hit harder this year than the broader market. PayPal is down 23%, Block has fallen 32% and Affirm has dropped 19%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq is down 10%.

The stocks rebounded last week as Wall Street showed some level of optimism that the Trump administration will make progress on trade agreements and that tariffs won’t be as extreme as earlier proposals suggested.

E-commerce challenges

With mixed messages coming from the administration, companies are reckoning with uncertainty and have little ability to provide accurate forecasts for the current quarter and remainder of the year. The volatility reached such heights in early April that Klarna, which competes with Affirm in the buy now, pay later market, and ticket marketplace StubHub delayed their long-awaited initial public offerings shortly after filing their prospectuses with the SEC.

Barclays analysts noted in a report on April 17, that significantly higher tariffs will weigh heavily on e-commerce sales, particularly for goods previously entering the U.S. duty-free. The firm estimates that Temu and Shein represent more than 30% of affected flows, much of it tied to digital wallets, buy now, pay later providers, and card processing infrastructure.

PayPal derives the vast majority of sales from consumer transactions and 40% of revenue and gross payment volume comes from international markets, according to Wells Fargo analysts. The bank trimmed its price target on April 16, to $74 from $80, citing margin pressure as e-commerce trends soften and competition rises.

PayPal has been getting a boost from Venmo, but that segment is also threatened if consumer spending declines. Growth expectations for the quarter — specifically a 5.5% increase in branded checkout volume — may be too high, Wells Fargo said, based on available nonstore retail sales data.

Analysts surveyed by LSEG estimate that PayPal will post revenue growth of just under 2% from a year earlier to $7.85 billion, and earnings of $1.16 per share.

Jack Dorsey’s Block faces pressure in multiple areas. Cash App user growth was sluggish in March, up just 1.3% from the same time last year, and Afterpay — the company’s buy now, pay later offering — is tightening its underwriting to limit credit losses. Barclays flagged Block as one of the more exposed names to small business churn and low-income volatility, noting that Afterpay volumes remain tied to highly discretionary consumer spend.

Block is expected to report revenue growth of about 4% to $6.2 billion, and earnings of 87 cents per share, according to LSEG,

Affirm reported a 30% increase in monthly active users in March, but tighter credit conditions and a broader economic cooldown may crimp near-term loan volume growth. Its business counts on purchases of electronics, apparel, furniture and other consumer goods.

Affirm is projected to report revenue growth of 36% to $783 million, and a loss of 3 cents per share, according to consensus estimates from LSEG.

Barclays analysts wrote in a note on April 15, that in March and the early part of April, much of the retail market may have experienced a “pull forward” of discretionary spending as consumers rushed to make purchases ahead of the May tariff implementation, a dynamic that could distort some backward-looking results.

“This scenario would essentially kick the sentiment can down the road,” the Barclays analysts wrote.

Representatives from PayPal, Block and Affirm declined to comment.