A Promising New Battery Development

Lithium is likely the biggest issue that EVs face. Range and recharge times are improving significantly. While there are several battery alternatives being explored I found this one particularly interesting.

Scientists discover lithium replacement that may revolutionize EV batteries: ‘99.7% efficient over 400 hours of use’

A team of scientists at the school’s Center for Materials Innovation found that crustaceans like crabs and lobster contain a chemical in their shells called chitin, which can be used to power batteries when combined with zinc. 

Crustacean shells packed with this chemical are typically thrown out en masse by restaurants that have no other use for them. But researchers believe this waste could serve as a powerful resource in the search for more sustainable batteries. 

Lithium-ion batteries, the common kind found in most of our cellphones and laptops, can take hundreds of thousands of years to break down after they’re used up — not to mention the devastating environmental impact lithium extraction has on our planet. 

But these shellfish batteries are biodegradable and can decompose in soil after just five months, leaving behind zinc, which can be recycled.