A battery pack made of paper for electric cars? Well, it's good enough, according to a company from Singapore that claims to be able to compete with lithium-ion batteries.
A Singaporean company has developed a battery in which paper plays a central role. The battery is designed for electric cars and is presented as an alternative to current lithium-ion batteries. The goal is to reduce production costs.
The company Flint is behind the invention of the paper battery. The battery has an energy density of 220 Wh/kg. This is lower than the lithium-ion batteries currently used in electric cars, but the lifespan is believed to be equivalent to regular batteries.
The manufacturer has designed the battery so that it can, in theory, be mass-produced right now. The estimated production costs are around 300 Danish kroner per kWh.
That's about half the price of lithium-ion batteries. And that, the people from Singapore say, is mainly due to the choice of materials.
The battery's chemical structure is based on cellulose fibers, the same plant material used to make paper.
The fibers are used to transfer ions. Materials such as lithium and cobalt are replaced with recyclable metals such as zinc and manganese.
The cellulose fibers enable the battery to be produced in a variety of shapes. Flint also claims that the battery is easy to disassemble and recycle.
It can be disposed of as compost. The company believes that the paper battery is safer than lithium-ion batteries, partly because it is more difficult to overheat.
The battery is also non-toxic in the event of a fire. The battery pack itself is said to be able to function for a short period of time after damage or fire. Flint plans to test-produce the battery this year.
Lithium-ion batteries now dominate the electric car market, but researchers, car brands and subcontractors are constantly looking for alternatives because the metals are expensive.
Only time will tell whether the paper fiber battery is truly competitive. Right now, it is not found in any electric car.
This is done by solid-state batteries, which have been heralded for decades as the real breakthrough in electric cars. Mercedes is currently testing the technology in an EQS, which on paper (yes, that was the intention, ed.) can travel 1,000 kilometers between charges. Read more about it here .
