EV charging is a different issue. Part of the problem of public acceptance of PEV is the limited range and the associated fears of being stranded when the battery runs out. With the higher energy density batteries, the range is expanded and the fear reduced. 40 miles or 80 miles doesn't seem like a lot right now, but bump that up to 300+ miles and one takes away another excuse for not adapting.
Charging so far isn't like filling your gas tank it takes TIME. Of course that time depends on how "empty" the battery is, the properties of the battery and how "fast" the equipment can apply the current. For example a fully discharged battery on a Nissan Leaf takes seven hours to charge with standard equipment. Now Nissan is coming out with with a larger charger that takes only 4-hours to do the same thing. Another example is the Tesla Model S that has various charging options from a 110V/12A receptical to a high power 240V/40 that allows one to charge 25 miles of "range" for every hour of charge time.(1) Of course, up that to twin chargers and a 100A circuit and Tesla claims you can get 62 miles of range for every hour of charge time. (2) So most charging is going to need to be done at home. That said, already there are charging stations popping up all over the country.
As far as how fast the new battery technology is able to change the need for gasoline is anybody's guess. I am thinking that there is an awareness and acceptance of EVs that far exceeds the cult or niche interest we saw in the 1970s post the oil embargo gas lines. Now the other question is can the new Li-S batteries be produced at a cost that is less than the current ones? [Currently ~40% of the cost of the car] If they can and EVs become cost comparable to ICE cars then the economics helps drive a switch too. Add on the widespread mistaken thinking that EVs reduce greenhouse gas emissions could mean that acceptance and intergration much faster than anyone expects. The other thing to remember is that in that 10-year period, unless batteries start exploding like laptops did, the EV is slowly creeping into society and gaining visibility and acceptance.
Think of this like the mobile phone. The first ones were bricks and kept the acceptance at a low level. However, once the size issue was fixed, adaptation in society took off. We already have the techno-coolness of the I-phone built in with EVs, I believe, so get the range/cost issue fixed and adaptation could be rapid. Of course if we see significant political changes in Washington next year to one party rule, then mandates for EVs or penalty taxes on ICE or fuels could further spur rapid adaptation.
Oh and Polyplus isn't the only ones working the Li-S technology. BASF bought out [into?] Sion Power(3) who has been working on Li-S technology for 10-years too. Envia Systems is working on improved Li-ion claiming they can drop prices to $20K per car with a range of 300 miles.( 4) That said, gubmint stimulus money has been pouring into to battery research in the last 3 years and that has spurred public private funding. (5)
Me thinks, like it or not, this change is coming - sans $2 gasoline that keeps the economics of EVs out of reach. How fast we get there is anybody's guess, but it may be faster than "normal."
1. Interesting "calculator one can use to play with the various options:
teslamotors.com
2. Sheet showing the "ranges" of charges including the 100A high capacity charging system.
teslamotors.com
3. sionpower.com
4. Click the "x'" box in upper right corner and let the flash video playout to the second "page"
enviasystems.com
5. arpa-e.energy.gov |
