'IMHO Li is not the ultimate battery material, by any stretch.'
Lol, actually LITHIUM IS THE ULTIMATE BATTERY MATERIAL and is the reason for the investment of billions into battery technology, most recently for e-mobility.
Consider this: Without it, Tesla would not exist.
But why is Lithium so important?
The simple answer is that under standard conditions, it is the lightest metal and the lightest solid element available to humankind. The need for light batteries means that lithium is unlikely to be replaced for EV applications. Lithium's position on the periodic table all but guarantees that it will remain the king of energy density.
As VW noted in a 2019 article, 'Lithium is currently regarded as an unrivalled charge carrier that will be irreplaceable for the foreseeable future, as no other element offers comparable properties for automotive battery applications. Accordingly, securing access to raw materials and the market is essential.'
@Marum, sorry but your unsubstantiated claims and general naivety of the e-mobility industry (IMO) further supports the theory that intelligence and investment foresight (common sense?) don't necessarily go hand in hand. The misplaced confidence you expel (again IMO) reminds me of an old 60 Minutes story touting Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles as the future.
History can be a great teacher (if you let it) and watching the above 2004 episode of 60 Minutes (sponsored by Toyota) highlights just how much Tesla & Lithium-ion battery technology changed the automotive landscape thereafter.
17 years on and HFCVs are still nowhere to be seen on our streets, while EVs will exceed 6 million sales globally this year alone. The issue of range anxiety continues to decrease for consumers each year, and fairly soon (if not already) will be a moot point for the vast majority, even in more remote places where range can be critical and a deciding factor.
And despite the fact that legacy auto manufacturers like Ford, Toyota & GM have been tinkering with their HFCV technology for years, they have either chosen not to (or have been unable to) commercialise it on a mass scale i.e. like Tesla managed to do with EVs when it introduced the Model 3, and have instead collectively & finally opted for Lithium batteries to redefine the auto industry.
Thus, any EV battery technology that doesn't contain Lithium will suffer the same fate at FCVs. Without Lithium, the weight, performance & durability of the battery are severely compromised from day one, it's as simple as that (KISS).
So Marum, best you retreat back to your lab and invent a metal / element that;
a) is the lightest on earth (lighter than Lithium)
b) can exceed/surpass/better Lithium's other unique properties and;
c) can be made abundant and then commercialised with the blessing & backing of billionaire visionaries i.e. before your revolutionary discovery can then have any hope of being adopted/supported by industry and governments around the world.
The below has been previously mentioned on the bird, but worth reiterating here in lieu of the latest 'expert' / cynic deciding to target & pollute the AVZ forums with nonsense IMHO.
GLTA
Cheers
Elpha
AVZ Price at posting:
33.0¢ Sentiment: Buy Disclosure: Held
) highlights just how much Tesla & Lithium-ion battery technology changed the automotive landscape thereafter.
(20min delay)