Experts talk about the cruising range of electric vehicles: No matter how much it is increased, there will still be charging problems

Is the application of graphene in lithium-ion batteries a major technological breakthrough or a gimmick? Is the higher the cruising range of an electric vehicle, the better? Why are car companies so obsessed with extending cruising range? Sino-Singapore Jingwei Client conducted an exclusive interview with Fu Yuwu, Honorary Chairman of the China Society of Automotive Engineering.

Public information shows that graphene has excellent optical, electrical, and mechanical properties, and is therefore known as the "King of New Materials." In the field of new energy batteries, it may help solve the problems of insufficient battery capacity and long charging time in new energy vehicles.

The copy of the graphene-based super fast-charging battery released by GAC Aian shows that the battery has 6C fast charging capability and, combined with high-power supercharging equipment, can be charged to 80% in as fast as 8 minutes. Combined with silicon anode material, the capacity density can be increased to about 280wh/kg, the cruising range reaches 1000km, and the life span is greater than 1600 cycles.

However, because the copy did not clearly state how much capacity of the battery would be charged to 80%, and what size of battery would be required to achieve a cruising range of 1,000km, it was also questioned by some industry analysts as a "gimmick."

For such statements, Fu Yuwu believes that it cannot simply be said to be a gimmick. "Although the cruising range of graphene-based batteries and the feasibility of industrialization remain to be seen, the future results of whether it can be industrialized on the real road are visible. I think this is a useful attempt. Many experts have also raised some objections, and I think this is normal. We still hope that different companies and different technical routes will make greater technological breakthroughs. ”

In fact, In addition to GAC Group, many car companies and new energy battery companies are committed to the research and development of long-range products. NIO recently released a 150kWh solid-state battery pack product with a single energy density of 360Wh/kg. The application of this product will increase the cruising range of electric vehicles to 1,000 kilometers. CATL also recently announced that it is developing a BEV battery pack that can achieve a range of more than 1,000 kilometers and fast charging in 10 minutes.

Why are car companies so keen on long battery life? Is there any relationship between cruising range and battery life? Fu Yuwu said: "This is related to competition. The electrification transformation of automobiles is to replace or partially replace fuel vehicles, and there are huge contradictions and contrasts between the two. There is no range anxiety with fuel vehicles. The problem of refueling is that you can refuel anywhere. On the other hand, no matter how much the cruising range of an electric vehicle is increased, even if it reaches 1,000 kilometers, there will still be problems of charging and convenience. ”

Fu Yuwu emphasized, “ What I particularly want to express is that a cruising range of 1,000 kilometers is not our goal. Most new energy vehicle companies are not pursuing higher and higher cruising ranges. Under the current circumstances, electric vehicle batteries, whether they are ternary. Whether it is a power battery or a lithium battery, its specific energy is limited. In other words, if there is no breakthrough technology, it will still have to rely on increasing the weight of the battery to solve the longer mileage problem. Carrying so many batteries, whether it is a passenger car or a commercial vehicle, will definitely cause some problems. ”

According to Fu Yuwu, in the past, it was generally believed that a cruising range of 200 kilometers would be enough. Meet daily travel. The Society of Automotive Engineers of China has made a lot of statistics. The actual daily mileage for normal commuting in the city is only fifty or sixty kilometers, or even within 30 kilometers.

To alleviate the range anxiety of car companies and consumers, Fu Yuwu believes that first, the level of batteries must be improved, hoping for greater breakthroughs in the future. Second, public supporting facilities are more complete and can meet consumers' requirements for the convenience of using electric vehicles. Third, costs will continue to fall. Now the price of batteries has dropped exponentially compared to 10 years ago, and the number of charging piles is also increasing geometrically. It has become more convenient for consumers to use, but it is still far behind compared with fuel vehicles.

Every winter is the time when electric vehicle owners are most anxious because batteries shrink seriously. So, is there a good technical solution to the shrinking range of electric vehicles in winter?

“This is a big challenge and is an inherent flaw of the battery.” Fu Yuwu explained, because its power and functionality will decrease under low temperature conditions.

Especially when using air conditioners, whether in summer or winter, a large amount of battery energy will be lost.

Fu Yuwu believes that this is a big proposition for automotive technology, especially for expert scientists engaged in electrochemistry. "As far as I know, some scientific and technological teams led by academicians are solving problems in this area so that electric vehicles can start at low temperatures of minus 40 to 50 degrees. There is a system in thermal management that has also made certain breakthroughs, so that the battery can To meet the needs of consumers under low temperature conditions” (Sino-Singapore Jingwei APP)

Fu Yuwu

Fu Yuwu, Honorary Chairman of the China Society of Automotive Engineering, China Automotive Talent Research. Honorary Chairman of the Association. He has successively served as chief engineer of China FAW Harbin Automobile Transmission Plant, general manager and party committee secretary of Harbin Automotive Industry Corporation, and chairman of the China Society of Automotive Engineering. During his tenure at the China Society of Automotive Engineers, he took the lead in establishing industry alliances such as the "Automotive Lightweight Technology Innovation Alliance" and the "Electric Vehicle Technology Innovation Alliance", and presided over the formulation of multiple automotive technical specifications.

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