Lifeboat Foundation

The secret sauce? An improved manufacturing process that eliminates corrosive carbon dioxide gas.

There’s a better way to build solid-state lithium batteries, scientists say. By studying the battery manufacturing process, researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Upton, New York-based Brookhaven National Laboratory have eliminated a tiny (but crucial) contamination issue, which could cut down on the complexity in future battery designs.

Solid-state batteries are widely considered to be the next great thing in rechargeable battery design. With an energy capacity at least two times greater than traditional lithium-ion batteries with flammable liquid electrolytes, solid-state batteries are safer, as well as more efficient—a huge pair of selling points for electric consumer vehicles in particular.

Continue reading “Solid-State Batteries Could Pack in Twice as Much Energy Per Pound” »

Tesla’s idea for a crazy windshield wiper that would clear debris from a driver’s line of sight using a laser beam has been officially published by the United States Patent Office. Tesla filed the application for the patent in May 2019, and it finally was granted in late 2021. Now, the U.S. Patent Office has published the patent, making it publicly viewable.

Tesla has long been interested in some pretty crazy and revolutionary ideas for automobiles. Over the years, Tesla has looked at several different designs and ideas for windshield wipers, using anything from a single-wiper system for the Next-Gen Roadster that would utilize an electromagnetic linear actuator to rid the windshield of moisture, to no wipers at all when it unveiled the Cybertruck in November 2019. Most recent sightings of Tesla’s Cybertruck have indicated the vehicle will have wipers, but Tesla is still revising the design.

With all of the crazy ideas Tesla has thrown around for wipers in the past, the patent for the automaker’s “Pulsed Laser Cleaning of Debris Accumulated on Glass Articles in Vehicles and Photovoltaic Assemblies” is among the most interesting. Originally filed in May 2019, Tesla recently had the idea published by the U.S. Patent Office, meaning if the Office does not ultimately grant the patent, the public can still learn from the work and perhaps develop another system that could be granted.

CEO of Tesla Elon Musk revealed in tweets posted on Saturday that he is giving serious thought to creating a social media platform.

“Given that Twitter serves as the de facto public town square, failing to adhere to free speech principles fundamentally undermines democracy,” Musk further tweeted.

Free speech

Continue reading “Elon Musk tweets about building a new social media platform” »

An Ola Electric scooter caught fire while parked at the roadside in Pune, Maharashtra. In an unverified tweet posted on March 26, an Ola electric scooter could be seen in plumes of smoke, which ultimately led to the scooter catching fire. As per the tweet, it could be an Ola S1 or Ola S1 Pro scooter.

“We’re in constant touch with the customer who is absolutely safe,” said the startup. “Vehicle safety is of paramount importance at Ola and we are committed to the highest quality standards in our products. We take this incident seriously and will take appropriate action and share more in the coming days,” Ola said.

I have read about how you refuel an electric car is different. You don’t want to power an electric car on a power grid that uses fossil fuel. The goal is to have fully green refueling. I have theorized many things from my posts, such as using solar or wind with hydrogen storage. Also the components used to make batteries have an impact on the environment, unless I am wrong, as I can be wrong. I guess what I read must be wrong and Facebooks independent fact checkers are right. They always are right, and we must follow them. So please do.

Scientists astounded by performance of sustainable batteries with far-reaching implications for e-vehicles and devices.

Researchers at Bristol have developed high-performance sodium and potassium ion batteries using sustainably sourced cellulose.

Scientists at the Bristol Composites Institute have developed a novel controllable unidirectional ice-templating strategy which can tailor the electrochemical performances of next-generation post-lithium-ion batteries with sustainability and large-scale availability. The paper is published in the journal Advanced Functional Materials.

The future of autonomous vehicle deployment requires a smart transportation infrastructure that uses AI-traffic cameras and LiDAR sensors.

Starbucks is aiming to capitalize on the rising demand for electric vehicle infrastructure by installing fast chargers at up to 15 coffeehouses this summer, along a 1,350-mile route from Colorado to Washington.

The project, a pilot program with Volvo Cars, aims to build one DC charging station on each 100-mile segment of the western route.

Why install chargers at Starbucks? The coffeehouse chain is betting that it can score business from electric vehicle owners while they wait for their cars to charge — a process that can take a while, depending on the battery and strength of the charger.