EV Range 1200 Miles on a Charge? Lithium-Sulfur Batteries to Enter Industrial Trials

From this article, sent to my by 2GreenEnergy super-supporter Gay Tulie

Lithium batteries will soon power electric vehicles traveling 2,000 km (1,242 miles) on a single charge, say the team at (Australia’s) Brighsun New Energy. The company is preparing for industrial trials later in the year for a range of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries that can power a cell phone for over a week and can theoretically travel close to 2,000 km on a single charge.

Through nearly 8 years of research, the Brighsun team developed lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries with an energy density 5-8 times higher than conventional secondary batteries. According to results from an internationally accredited testing agency (SGS), Brighsun’s new technology allows an Li-S battery to keep 91% of its initial capacity after 1,700 cycles. 

Lithium-sulfur batteries are touted as the “ideal successors to lithium-ion,” in that they could in theory hold up to five times the energy per weight. This, of course, is a huge deal in electric transportation where extremely heavy battery packs have a horrible effect on the vehicle’s range.

Of course, 1200 miles is overkill; there is no reason to put any more than half of that in a car.  600 miles means the end of all range issues, as no one wants to drive more than that in any given day.

Always a delight to see progress here.