Professor Clare Grey recently took part in a Kavli Foundation online roundtable discussion on the future of electric cars, with two other experts in field. The aim was to highlight the main issues preventing the wider uptake of electric cars, and what is being done about them.
The discussion included Clare, who was awarded the Royal Society’s 2011 Kavli Medal, Jeff Sakamoto at Michigan State University’s department of chemical engineering and material science, and popular science author Seth Fletcher.
The wide-ranging discussion took place shortly after the North American International Auto Show, where many of the highlights were electric cars, both production and concept. However, batteries for electric cars are still in their infancy, and if electric cars are going to gain much greater market penetration, then lighter, more powerful batteries will be essential.
The wide-ranging discussion included the improvements needed in batteries, whether increasing the range between plug-ins, reducing cost or making them longer-lasting, safety in the light of reports of batteries catching fire, and how new batteries are being developed. It also looked at potential new battery technologies, and what changes in the political and commercial landscapes might encourage wider uptake of electric cars.
You can read a transcript of the discussion at http://www.kavlifoundation.org/science-spotlights/charging-auto-industry
For other News stories on Clare’s work in making better batteries please see: