Alternative and green materials: what the electric cars of the future will look like

Alternative Materials for Electric Mobility In 2023, the Chinese company Dongfeng introduced the first model under the Nammi brand featuring solid-state electrolytes instead of liquid ones. The topic of alternative materials for the innovation of electric vehicles is often linked to solid-state batteries. Several automakers are working on this technology because solid-state electrolyte batteries are expected to offer three main advantages: high energy density leading to greater range, faster charging times, and very low flammability, thus providing increased safety.

The new frontier for innovative materials in electric vehicle batteries is sodium-ion, which is anticipated to replace lithium. This transition also offers the significant economic benefit of sodium being much more readily available and far cheaper both in processing and disposal costs. However, sodium-ion batteries currently have lower energy density and performance stability. When will they hit the market? Some expect them within the next few years, while others believe the technology is far from ready.

Other alternative materials for electric vehicle batteries include phosphate and iron, used in combination with lithium for LFP (lithium iron phosphate) cathodes. These are competing with the more widely used NCM (nickel, cobalt, manganese) cathodes. This is a more established technology with cost advantages and ongoing improvements in energy density and charging speed.

Beyond alternative materials, the sustainability of electric mobility also relies on innovation in the processing of more traditional non-ferrous metals that will continue to be widely used in batteries, motors, and vehicle electrical wiring for a long time. For example, not just lithium, nickel, and graphene, but also a lot of copper and aluminum. These two non-ferrous industrial metals are under constant monitoring by the Faro Club observatory.