More electric vehicles are on the road than ever before.
But a recent global survey found some EV owners — about 46% in the U.S. — have considered switching back to a gasoline car. The top reason: charging. While average ranges have steadily increased over time, drivers' expectations still outpace what current lithium-ion batteries can deliver.
Now, FIU researchers have made a breakthrough with a next generation battery technology, known as beyond lithium-ion, that could one day make owning an EV a lot more convenient.
"We started working with these next generation battery chemistries eight years ago. The first charging cycle was great. By cycle 20, it was a useless lump of metal," said Bilal El-Zahab, an associate professor in the College of Engineering & Computing. "We had to become battery whisperers to solve the problems with them, so it's really exciting to be at this stage."
