Scientists make game-changing discovery with potential to revolutionize future cars: 'It's really exciting to be at this stage'

Electric vehicles are crucial to decarbonizing the transportation sector, as their adoption removes fuel-burning vehicles from the road. 

Thankfully, motorists are buying in, with 1.3 million EVs sold in the United States in 2024, marking a 7.3% increase from 2023, according to Cox Automotive. 

However, more rapid take-up is needed, and one of the ways to improve consumer confidence is by improving battery life and performance. 

Researchers at Florida International University have developed a new battery technology that surpasses the capabilities of common lithium-ion batteries. 

Their main goal in improving the batteries? Maximizing charging power to keep drivers on the road longer. 

They studied lithium-sulfur batteries for their positive characteristics. These batteries would be lighter in weight, less expensive to make than lithium-ion batteries, and they could hold more of a charge. This means more miles traveled in an EV and more minutes before you have to plug in your smartphone.

In these batteries, one side is made of lithium, and the other is made of sulfur. What that means is that a chemical reaction occurs when ions carrying a charge cross from the lithium to the sulfur side. This chemical reaction creates compounds called polysulfides that can build up on the lithium side of the battery and reduce its efficiency. 

Professor Bilal El-Zahab, associate professor in the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, said that when they started the project years ago, the battery was useless by the 20th charge. 

That's when they decided to add platinum. The metal has properties that can stabilize the battery and bring the performance to an appropriate level. 

According to Professor El-Zahab, they had to become "battery whisperers." 

If you were going to purchase an EV, which of these factors would be most important to you? Cost 💰 Battery range 🔋 Power and speed 💪 The way it looks 😎 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

The platinum, when added to the sulfur side of the battery, keeps the lithium working efficiently without the buildup of polysulfides. 

"It's really exciting to be at this stage," Professor El-Zahab added.

Aqsa Nazir, a researcher in El-Zahab's lab, said, "We achieved a 92% retention after 500 charging cycles, which means the battery is nearly as good as new." 

These new batteries would have a great impact on EVs, helping them to stay charged for longer and resulting in less time waiting at a charger.

EVs are a cleaner alternative than gas-powered vehicles, despite some claims to the contrary. Even the process of mining materials for batteries is getting more environmentally-friendly over time. 

Switching to an EV can save motorists money with cheaper refueling costs and less need for maintenance. As infrastructure adapts to EV popularity, motorists on the fence will have fewer concerns about range anxiety.

The wider adoption of EVs will have a great impact on public health. Most notably, the air we breathe in cities will be cleaner thanks to a reduction in pollutants released by the exhausts of gas-guzzling cars.

The research team's innovation is undergoing testing before it can reach commercialization. If the testing goes well, this technology could be a great technological advancement for anything that uses a lithium-ion battery.

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