Semafor Signals
EV batteries are getting stronger in high-end cars
The News
Electric vehicles will soon be able to travel further on a single charge. In a recent showcase, Mercedes said that it is working on a sedan that will be able to travel 466 miles on one charge. BMW, meanwhile, is developing a vehicle capable of nearly 500 miles per charge.
SIGNALS
The range of electric vehicles is improving. Charging infrastructure, batteries, and the EVs themselves have all improved over the past half decade, and driving range is getting better with each new vehicle that makes it to market, writer Andrew Charman argues in The Car Expert. “EV technology continues to develop rapidly, so the numbers will continue to shift in favour of electricity over fossil fuels,” he writes.• 2
The Car Expert, How EV battery range has improved over the years
European EV manufacturers are trying to push back against China’s dominance in the sector. Chinese automakers dominate the EV industry, and three manufacturers — BYD, Xpeng, and Nio — made up 13% of car sales in Europe in the first half of 2023. “What used to be a performance for the German car industry to demonstrate its extremely strong position is now a meeting of equals between progressive players from around the world, especially China,” Fabian Brandt, from the consultancy firm Oliver Wyman, told Reuters.• 3
“Range anxiety” — fears over EVs running out of charge before a driver reachers their destination — has led to would-be EV buyers sticking to petrol-powered vehicles. Recent battery developments mean that EVs can last longer on their charges, researchers say. Scientists from Pohang University of Science & Technology and Sogang University have created a polymer binder, which enhances the energy of lithium ion batteries. Charges from these batteries could carry vehicles up to ten times further, the team behind the development believe.• 1
