This Aluminum-Air Battery Can Provide Nine Times More Power Than An Lithium-Ion Counterpart

The issue of pollution has driven us to a viable substitute for fossil fuels, electricity. While we have had a bunch of companies looking into the prospect of electric vehicles, one of the main drawbacks is the capacity of the batteries that power them. A typical electric car can only run for a certain distance before needing to stop for a power refill.

To solve this issue, a scientist has created an aluminum-air battery. Apart from holding nine times more power than its lithium-ion counterpart, this battery, invented by Trevor Jackson, an engineer based in the UK, is also more lightweight. The aluminum to make it is budget-friendly and its electrolyte is so safe that you can actually drink it.

The list of the aluminum-air battery does not stop there. The cost of production is also lower. The environmentally friendly level is high as it is easier to recycle than regular models. The battery is expected to sustain a car for around 2,500 km before it needs another recharge.

This aluminum-air battery is the result of nearly two decades of continuous work and a large sum of money in investment. In 2020, the battery will appear on several electric cars.

A Revolution For Electric Vehicles

Jackson work’s dates all the way back to 2001 when he started experimenting with a technology that emerged in the 1960s. The underlying idea is that when aluminum is submerged in electrolyte, a reaction will happen and generate electricity. However, back then, mass production was not possible because the reaction calls for completely pure aluminum and the electrolyte is too harmful to be around human as it is poisonous and can burn organic tissues.

Inspired by this idea, Jackson has spent years experimenting and found viable solutions to solve the drawbacks of the original design. What he found out is a kind of electrolyte that does not require pure aluminum (so recycled cans can be used too), and is safe to use around human.

Jackson has gone so far that he drunk the electrolyte to show potential investors that it is completely safe to use. The formula is not disclosed as it is the secret sauce that makes the success of his invention.

Affordable And Do Not Cause Pollution

Automakers are focusing on the lithium-ion battery to power electric vehicles and they have successfully improved the capacity and recharge time. However, there have been no solutions found to reduce the cost of recycling cobalt and lithium.

In essence, what Jackson created is more like a fuel cell than a battery. It has the potential to start a revolution in the industry of environmentally-friendly transportation. He said that the depleted aluminum-air battery can be recycled at a very low cost.

2,500 Km

After tests, it is confirmed that when the two batteries weigh the same, Jackson’s produces nine times more power than a lithium-ion one. So if a Tesla Model S is powered by one of these power cells, its range can be boosted from 600 km to 4300 km. When the power has been used up, the driver has to wait for around one and a half minutes to swap to another one.

Austin Electric will start mass-producing the aluminum-air batteries according to Jackson’s design. They will first provide for tuk-tuks, the three-wheelers commonly seen in Asia, then for electric bicycles, and later, for cars.