Researchers figured out how to make electric car batteries… from coal?!
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.
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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A Tesla executive has announced that the automaker plans to update its Model S and Model X vehicle programs later this year.
In 2021, Tesla introduced updated versions of the Model S and Model X, its flagship EVs.
The design refresh failed to reignite the vehicle programs. At one point, Tesla envisioned a volume of 100,000 units per year for the two vehicles combined, but that number had fallen to about half as of last year.
Part of that is due to increased competition at the top end of the EV market from companies like Lucid, Rivian, Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and others, but it is also due to Tesla’s own canabilization with Model 3 and Model Y vehicles getting more love over the last few years.
Now, Tesla has confirmed that it plans to update the Model S and Model X.
Lars Moravy, Vice President of Vehicle Engineering, made the announcement on the Ride the Lightning podcast:
“Just give it a minute. We’ll get there. The upgrade a few years ago was bigger than most people thought in terms of architecture and structure; We’ll give it some love later this year; Everyone here has a little place in their heard for S/X. They are not going anywhere anytime soon.”
The executive didn’t elaborate on what the update will entail, but we can expect some of the similar features as those introduced in the latest Model 3 and Model Y refresh.
It is rare for Tesla to announce upcoming vehicle refreshes or comment on leaks due to the Osborne effect, which occurs when premature discussion of future, unavailable products damages sales of existing products.
Electrek’s Take
I am unsure if it is Moravy’s mistake or if Tesla just doesn’t care because Model S and Model X sales are in the dumpster anyway.
What can we expect from Model S/X refresh?
I am hoping for efficiency improvements for Tesla to catch up a bit to Lucid. Maybe Tesla will bring back the turn signal stalk, like it did for Model Y and it is expected to do with Model 3.
Also, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a bunch of lightbars like the new Model Y.
What do you think? Let us know in the comment section below.
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Automation and warehouse robots have been changing the way we ship and store goods for decades. In a post-Altman/OpenAI world, though, we get to call that kind of autonomous operation “AI” and slap a multimillion dollar valuation on it – which is exactly what Ati Motors did.
Don’t get me wrong, Ati Motors seems like a solid company. Not only are their Sherpa robots perfectly fine products, the company itself is experiencing a hockey stick of growth – nearly tripling its orders in 2024 from the year before. With that in mind, the $20 million Series B investment, led by Walden Catalyst Ventures (WCV) and NGP Capital (NGP) with participation from current investors including True Ventures, Exfinity Venture Partners, Athera Venture Partners and Blume Ventures, seems more like smart business and less like a late addition to the AI hype train.
For their part, the executives at Walden and NPG seem to agree.
“We’re excited to co-lead this investment in Ati Motors,” says Upal Basu at NGP Capital. “The company’s ability to successfully deploy fully autonomous mobile robots across diverse industrial environments, combined with their rapidly growing customer base, makes them a standout in the industrial automation space. We believe their unique approach to combining Edge AI, LIDAR, and robotics will help address a critical need in the manufacturing sector.”
Sherpa Tug can haul 1,000 kg
With both outdoor and indoor capabilities, the autonomous Sherpas are a natural fit for warehouses like Amazon and IKEA locations, but the bigger, 1,000 kg units could be suitable as airport luggage tugs, as well.
Ati’s press material says its autonomous Sherpa robots will “change the way you work, without you changing a thing, “adding that they are, “programmed to safely and seamlessly integrate into your existing workspace, workflow and workforce.”
The Sherpa robots feature 360 degree cameras and lidar sensors to constantly map their surroundings, as well as autonomous obstacle avoidance and automatic parking features. Their compact, li-ion battery packs are modular, good for up to 8 hours of continuous operation (depending on model), and can be easily swapped by a human operator in a matter of seconds.
Presumably, the batteries could also be swapped by a different Ati robot in a few more seconds, but that seems dystopian AF. Besides, the little Sherpas are undeniably adorable – so it’s OK.
Watch the video for the autonomous Sherpa PalletMover, below, then let us know what you think in the comments. (While you do that, I’m going to watch Wall-E again.)
Ati Sherpa – forklift certified
SOURCE | IMAGES: Ati Motors, via PR Newswire.
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In a reflection of growing sentiment in the US against reckless electric bike riders, one California town is preparing to enact a series of new restrictions and legal clarifications for e-bike riders.
This week, the Santa Barbara City Council will be discussing proposed changes to its city ordinances pertaining to electric bicycles.
The move has been spurred by many in the city having taken issue with riders who operate their bikes in reckless or dangerous manners, often riding near pedestrians on sidewalks or showing a general disregard for the safety of passersby.
As KEYT pointed out, the concerns are often associated with riders of light electric motorcycles such as those made by Sur Ron, Talaria, and other similar bikes. These motorbikes generally do not fall under the legal definition of electric bicycles in most jurisdictions, including in California. Their use on public roads is usually illegal as most lack the requirements for street-legal use. Their intended use is trail riding, such as on fire roads and other off-road scenarios.
“Among them is a Surron,” explained KEYT’s John Palminteri. “It is capable of going up to 75 miles per hour according to the manufacturer and through online video testing. There’s even an additional modification that is said to increase that number another five miles per hour.”
In actuality, most Sur Ron electric motorbikes are capable of speeds around 40-50 mph, though several popular online videos have showcased owners hot-rodding their bikes for higher speed. There are also larger, higher-performance models available, though they are considerably rarer on the streets. Such bikes are used more commonly in the motocross scene.
Young riders cruising the streets while popping wheelies on Sur Ron-style electric motorbikes have become a key image in the debate over reckless riding in cities around the US.
The proposed Santa Barbara ordinance changes include language to tackle that phenomenon head on, including “clarifying language that tricks or wheelies constitute riding in an unsafe manner when pedestrians or vehicles are present.”
Potential actions include “citations, an educational component, and the option to impound a bike by someone illegally riding it.”
According to KEYT, additional definitions and regulatory changes in the proposed ordinance ammendements include:
- Defines what constitutes operating in an unsafe manner and provides examples of unsafe ridership behaviors. This section is applicable to any public street, public right of way, sidewalk, bicycle path, lane, or trail.
- Requires riders to use bike lanes where possible, and on streets without bike lanes, to ride close to the right curb or edge of roadway.
- Requires riders to ride in single file, and not more than two abreast except on paths or parts of a roadway set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles.
- Requires the yielding to pedestrians when emerging from an alley, driveway, bicycle path, building or otherwise approaching upon a sidewalk or sidewalk area.
- Prohibits the riding of a bicycle or electric bicycle on any sidewalk except while an active threat to personal or public safety is present.
- Requires the wearing of properly strapped helmets for all riders under 18 years of age and that all bicycles or electric bicycles have reflectors affixed to both the front and back wheels and on the rear of the bike.
- Prohibits the operation of a bicycle or electric bicycle on a roadway unless it is equipped with a brake that will enable the operator to make one braked wheel skid on dry, level, clean pavement.
- Prohibits the parking of a bicycle or e-conveyance in a manner that obstructs a sidewalk or pedestrian path.
- Stipulates that any violation of the ordinance is punishable as an administrative citation with the fine not exceeding $100 for the first violation, $200 for a second violation, and $500 for each additional violation within a one-year period.
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