Smartphones, electric vehicles, and countless portable electronics all depend on batteries. As demand for better energy storage grows, improvements in battery capacity, lifespan, and safety will play a major role in the future of electrification. One of the most promising technologies is the solid-state battery, which could allow smartphones to operate for several days on…
At a factory in southeastern China, robot arms spin balletically, winding long strips of metal into rolls and shaping them into bricks that are destined to become batteries. As workers in white coveralls watch, the nascent batteries are packaged into aluminum cases and, as workers put it, “given life” — endowed with an electrical charge…
General Motors plans to begin making components for large storage batteries, the company said Tuesday, joining Tesla, Ford Motor and other carmakers in pushing into a growing market and compensating for slower sales of electric vehicles in the United States. The batteries, which can be the size of shipping containers, store excess energy from solar…
The monthslong closure of the Strait of Hormuz is reinforcing an expensive geopolitical lesson about how risky it can be to rely on imported energy. From South America to Southeast Asia, governments and private companies are being forced to look inward and take steps to harness what they can domestically, even when doing so raises…
With the world’s most important fossil fuel supply route at a near-standstill, many advocates for wind and solar say the transition to renewable energy is about to shift to a much higher speed. The United Nations climate chief, Simon Stiell, recently described an “immense irony” in which leaders who have “fought to keep the world…
Last year Ford Motor suspended production of an electric pickup truck, shut down a battery factory in Kentucky and booked a $20 billion loss to account for its diminished plans. Then, last month, the senior executive who oversaw development of this new technology left the company. But Ford executives insist that those setbacks do not…
Driving an electric vehicle on a road trip can be challenging enough in the United States. Would it be even possible in a country like Costa Rica? I decided to find out. Costa Rica has done more than most countries to promote electric vehicles, including passing a law in 2018 that required electric utilities to…
Electric vehicle sales have been slumping since September, when federal tax credits of up to $7,500 ended under a law championed by President Trump. But the business of selling battery-powered cars is about to get something of a boost from waves of slightly used models that will be rolling onto dealer lots over the next…
The mercury is starting to rise outside. While that may be welcome news for gardeners and beachgoers, higher temperatures can take a toll on your car. “Heat is a stressor on the vehicle, and in many ways, a much greater stressor than even cold temperatures,” said Greg Brannon, director of automotive engineering and research at…
Alkaline batteries are needed more often than you may think. They’re commonly found in the most popular toys and inside the many remotes you might have around the home. However, batteries die. So when it’s time to replace them, having extras around is a godsend. We’ve identified the best alkaline batteries on the market by…
