• themurphy@lemmy.ml
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    5 months ago

    Sodium batteries will not replace lithium in cars, as the density is too low.

    It means the battery weighs more but contains less power.

    For an EV, that wouldn’t work, as the heavier the car is, the more power it uses.

    With sodium you will probably half the range of the EV, which is already low.

    • frezik
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      5 months ago

      The newer sodium batteries are comparable to LFP batteries from a few years ago.

    • unexposedhazard@discuss.tchncs.de
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      5 months ago

      For medium distance commuter cars and inner city travel those things dont matter and will probably be outweighed by the cost savings, safety and reliability of sodium batteries. The main issue right now with getting EVs into more peoples hands is cost.

    • sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works
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      5 months ago

      probably half the range of an EV

      Many EVs have ~250 miles range. I need a quarter of that in usable winter range for my commute. If I could get an EV with 125 miles of advertised range (about half that in winter) for a third the price, I’d do it.

      It’s not going to replace my road tripping car, but it could replace my commuter, which needs very little range.