John in CR
100 TW
I've just been informed that battery prices are headed downward by a significant margin. The Chinese are headed to lithium for their domestic ebikes, which is the world's biggest market by far, and they have to be affordable.
Get ready for $200-300/kwh pack and not the so easy to catch fire stuff like the RC Lipo. Lose that prejudice about 18650's too, because that's where the economies of scale hit first. Plus aluminum cylinders are so much stronger to get banged around in service than pouch cells that aren't much tougher than a stick of gum.
Extreme power guys may still have few solutions, but moderate power and big range packs will soon be a bargain. eg 2600mah NMC (my guy called it LiNCM) 4C cells for $2.50/ea or less, and he only deals with the good stuff not some out the back door factory rejects. I was told that's closer to retail pricing than wholesale.
Soon even abundant oil and gas won't be able to stifle the electric revolution for a huge segment of personal transportation. Once batteries are affordable enough for the common man in developing countries a growth explosion will occur.
John
Get ready for $200-300/kwh pack and not the so easy to catch fire stuff like the RC Lipo. Lose that prejudice about 18650's too, because that's where the economies of scale hit first. Plus aluminum cylinders are so much stronger to get banged around in service than pouch cells that aren't much tougher than a stick of gum.
Extreme power guys may still have few solutions, but moderate power and big range packs will soon be a bargain. eg 2600mah NMC (my guy called it LiNCM) 4C cells for $2.50/ea or less, and he only deals with the good stuff not some out the back door factory rejects. I was told that's closer to retail pricing than wholesale.
Soon even abundant oil and gas won't be able to stifle the electric revolution for a huge segment of personal transportation. Once batteries are affordable enough for the common man in developing countries a growth explosion will occur.
John