UK Man Invents Replaceable Aluminum-Air Battery in his Garage

[Texas22Step]

All of this battery technology is above my personal pay-grade, so I thought some of the more capable members of this forum would be far more able to judge this "achievement" than I:

https://cleantechnica.com/2019/10/20/uk-man-invents-aluminum-air-battery-in-his-garage/

The inventor and his new investor, Austin Electric, say that this could give a Tesla a range of ~2,700 miles.

Hmm.

 

[petteyg359]

So we've gone from magic toothpaste (fluoride) batteries to magic cola can (aluminum) batteries... It'd be nice, but I'm still waiting to see proof of existence and claimed function.

 

[Landshark]

It isn’t rechargeable, loses 80% of its charge in a month and costs over $6000 to replace. That’s more than $2/mile to go the claimed 2700miles, or the equivalent of 1-2mpg depending of gas prices in your area.

Other than that...

 

[Kerbe]

It's not a "battery" - it's a chemical fuel cell. The idea is that you trade them in and out as necessary, like tanks of propane.

 

[ClarityBill]

It's not a "battery" - it's a chemical fuel cell.

I guess I am old, but that is what we used to call a battery. It is not a rechargeable battery.

The energy density sounds too good to be true, but the next step would be to make it rebuildable, with a possible future of rechargeable technology.

 

[Kerbe]

I guess I am old, but that is what we used to call a battery. It is not a rechargeable battery.

You're correct - I was in a hurry and skipped they word, "rechargeable". The aluminum/air cells can be refurbished: As they create current they break down the aluminum so it's just a question of adding more aluminum.

 

[HagerHedgie]

You're correct - I was in a hurry and skipped they word, "rechargeable". The aluminum/air cells can be refurbished: As they create current they break down the aluminum so it's just a question of adding more aluminum.

We could make a new unit of efficiency. Beer cans per mile!
Seriously though. I don’t see this type of thing making sense unless the energy density is orders of magnitude more than rechargeables. Then there is still the problem(cost) of transporting these things everywhere. Once you have a grid built its fairly inexpensive to transport electrons around. Li-ion tech is still improving rapidly both in durability and energy density.
Is anyone working on a rechargeable air battery?


Sent from my iPhone using Inside EVs

 

[Landshark]

Nant Energy promotes a “rechargeable” zinc-Air battery.