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Non-Tech : Kirk's Market Thoughts -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: #Breeze who wrote (23677)	3/24/2025 4:04:56 PM
From: Kirk ©	Respond to of 26871

If you believe the nonsense from the left, the GOP has a lot more money. Bernie and Friends may have hoisted their own petards! So now it is fashionable for the GOP to buy an EV so yes, for the ST it seems unless this is a post quad expiration adjustment. A follow through day would be telling, I think.

To: #Breeze who wrote (23677)	4/15/2025 10:25:25 AM
From: Kirk ©	1 Recommendation Recommended By Return to Sender Respond to of 26871

Loads of battery competition from China. Are they sacrificing safety for performance? We had a huge, toxic battery fire near the Monterey coast recently at a power storage facility. It has many in CA saying they don't want these in their towns now. Exclusive: BYD's megawatt EV charging: Speed at what cost? Nuying Huang, Taipei; Jingyue Hsiao, DIGITIMES Asia Tuesday 15 April 2025 BYD recently introduced a new 1,000V high-voltage and megawatt-level charging platform. The technology, unveiled in mid-March, claims to provide up to 400 kilometers of driving range with just five minutes of charging for its updated Han L and Tang L models. This breakthrough signals BYD's ambition to significantly accelerate EV charging speeds, aiming for parity with the refueling times of conventional gasoline vehicles. However, this innovation has been met with cautious responses from both domestic and international lithium battery manufacturers. Industry sources indicate that achieving megawatt-level charging necessitates considerable compromises in other critical battery performance metrics. In late March, Huan Gao, CTO of Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. (CATL), a leading global lithium battery supplier, publicly stressed the importance of balancing reliability, lifespan, safety, and energy density in lithium battery products. Gao's remarks were widely interpreted as an implicit critique of BYD's emphasis on ultra-fast charging, with many industry experts sharing his concerns regarding potential trade-offs. Key drawbacks Analysis from within Asia's lithium battery supply chain points to key drawbacks associated with achieving lightning-fast megawatt-level charging. A primary concern is the inherent compromise in energy density. Enhancing the battery's charge and discharge capabilities involves thinning the electrode sheets within the battery cells, a modification that consequently reduces the overall energy storage capacity per unit volume. Cost is another significant factor under scrutiny. Enabling super-fast charging requires the incorporation of advanced and often expensive materials into the battery's electrodes to improve their conductivity significantly. These materials include carbon nanotubes, graphene, and silicon carbide, which add to the overall production cost of the battery pack. Furthermore, the cycle life of lithium batteries designed for megawatt-level charging is reportedly limited. Sources reveal that such batteries may experience a significantly reduced lifespan, potentially falling to less than a third of the approximately 4,000 charge-discharge cycles typically expected from power batteries used in electric vehicles. Experts clarify that the 'C-rate' is the standard unit for measuring a battery's charge and discharge speed, with 1C representing a full charge or discharge in one hour. While BYD's new platform reportedly achieves a 10C charging rate, the broader market is currently operating closer to the 5C mark. Industry experts acknowledge that achieving a 10C charging capability is technically feasible for other lithium battery manufacturers. Lithium titanate (LTO) batteries, for instance, offer comparable charging speeds. However, their high cost and inherently low energy density restrict their application to niche markets, leading most mainstream lithium battery manufacturers to refrain from pursuing this technology for widespread EV adoption. BYD infrastructure and expansion strategy BYD's megawatt flash charging platform incorporates a high-speed motor and silicon carbide (SiC) power electronics. Its direct current (DC) charger is capable of delivering up to 800kW for single-gun charging and a maximum of 1 megawatt for dual-gun simultaneous charging. Recognizing the limitations of existing power infrastructure at standard Chinese charging stations, which typically cannot supply the required 1,000 kW, BYD is deploying supercharging stations equipped with solar power generation and energy storage systems to mitigate grid strain. The company has announced plans to establish 4,000 such fast-charging stations, with an initial phase targeting the deployment of 500 stations. Chinese media outlets have emphasized the necessity of rigorously evaluating the safety risks and potential overheating issues associated with these high-power energy storage stations. Reports indicate that BYD's charging technology currently surpasses that of Tesla, offering a charging capacity of 1,000 kW compared to Tesla's 500 kW, which is expected to enter the Chinese market in 2025. In parallel with its technological advancements in charging infrastructure, BYD is actively expanding its presence in the European market. The company's factory in Hungary is slated to commence production in October 2025, and a new manufacturing facility is planned for Turkey by 2026. Furthermore, BYD intends to establish a plant in Germany and has engaged with approximately 300 Italian automotive parts suppliers as it aims to achieve a European production capacity of 500,000 vehicles. Article edited by Jerry Chen digitimes.com