Samsung announce 900Wh/L All-Solid-State Battery Technology

Researchers from the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology (SAIT) and the Samsung R&D Institute Japan (SRJ) presented a study on high-performance, long-lasting all-solid-state batteries to Nature Energy, one of the world’s leading scientific journals.

Compared to widely used lithium-ion batteries, which utilize liquid electrolytes, all-solid-state batteries support greater energy density, which opens the door for larger capacities, and utilize solid electrolytes, which are demonstrably safer. However, the lithium metal anodes that are frequently used in all-solid-state batteries, are prone to trigger the growth of dendrites1 which can produce undesirable side effects that reduce a battery’s lifespan and safety.

To overcome those effects, Samsung’s researchers proposed utilizing, for the first time, a silver-carbon (Ag-C) composite layer as the anode. The team found that incorporating an Ag-C layer into a prototype pouch cell enabled the battery to support a larger capacity, a longer cycle life, and enhanced its overall safety. Measuring just 5µm (micrometers) thick, the ultrathin Ag-C nanocomposite layer allowed the team to reduce anode thickness and increase energy density up to 900Wh/L. It also enabled them to make their prototype approximately 50 percent smaller by volume than a conventional lithium-ion battery.

This promising research is expected to help drive the expansion of electric vehicles (EVs). The prototype pouch cell that the team developed would enable an EV to travel up to 800km on a single charge, and features a cycle life of over 1,000 charges.

As Dongmin Im, Master at SAIT’s Next Generation Battery Lab and the leader of the project explained, “The product of this study could be a seed technology for safer, high-performance batteries of the future. Going forward, we will continue to develop and refine all-solid-state battery materials and manufacturing technologies to help take EV battery innovation to the next level.”

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Ford’s First Factory Fully Electric Dragster - Mustang Cobra Jet 1400

It won’t hurt your ears and doesn’t use a drop of fuel, but it’s projected to crush the quarter-mile in the low-8-second range at more than 170 mph. For the first time ever, Ford Performance introduces a one-off Mustang Cobra Jet factory drag racer with all-electric propulsion.

The battery-powered Mustang Cobra Jet 1400 prototype is purpose-built and projected to deliver over 1,400 horsepower and over 1,100 ft.-lbs. of instant torque to demonstrate the capabilities of an electric powertrain in one of the most demanding race environments.

“Ford has always used motorsport to demonstrate innovation,” said Dave Pericak, Global Director, Ford Icons. “Electric powertrains give us a completely new kind of performance and the all-electric Cobra Jet 1400 is one example of pushing new technology to the absolute limit. We’re excited to showcase what’s possible in an exciting year when we also have the all-electric Mustang Mach-E joining the Mustang family.”

Following the debut of the all-electric Ford Mustang Mach-E SUV – the first-ever, all-electric Mustang, the Mustang Cobra Jet 1400 prototype represents another opportunity to advance Mustang heritage and performance while simultaneously incorporating some of the most advanced technology coming to Ford’s future powertrains.

Mustang Cobra Jet 1400 also honors the original Cobra Jet that first dominated drag strips in the late 1960s and still is a major force in sportsman drag racing today.

"This project was a challenge for all of us at Ford Performance, but a challenge we loved jumping into,” said Mark Rushbrook, Global Director, Ford Performance Motorsports. “We saw the Cobra Jet 1400 project as an opportunity to start developing electric powertrains in a race car package that we already had a lot of experience with, so we had performance benchmarks we wanted to match and beat right now. This has been a fantastic project to work on, and we hope the first of many coming from our team at Ford Performance Motorsports."

Ford have yet to reveal any technical information about the electric Cobra Jet’s motors, batteries etc but we can have a few educated guesses:

• Motors: 2x AM Racing Dual Stack 250 Motors. Most likely 2x of these motors are stacked vertically for a grand total of 4x HVH Remy 250 cores.
• Inverters: 4x RMS PM250 DZ - 450Arms continuous, 600Arms peak, 300-800v
• Transmission: The video sounds like a 2 speed Powerglide.
• Rear-end: Most likely shortened Ford 9 inch diff - typical drag racing equipment.

*Note: RMS & AM Racing are now owned by Borg Warner under the new name Cascadia Motion. Remy is also owned by Borg Warner.

Ford Performance continues to test Cobra Jet 1400 ahead of its world debut later this year at a drag racing event where fans, media and competitors alike will get to meet the race car, as well as see exactly what it’s capable of up on the asphalt.

Before that, catch a sneak peek starting this Sunday, April 26 by watching MotorTrend On Demand’s “Hard Cell”, a showcase of electric vehicles pushing innovation boundaries.

To maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of the project, Ford Performance has teamed up with several capable and specialized suppliers:

• MLe Racecars – Vehicle builder, designer, integrator and tuner
• Watson Engineering – Chassis support and development, roll cage builder
• AEM EV – Software and motor calibration and controls
• Cascadia – Inverter and Motor supplier

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Liebherr Launch First Fully Electric Concrete Mixer Truck

Liebherr and Designwerk have developed the first fully electric truck mixers with 10 and 12 m³ drums on a 5-axle chassis. The first operations are planned for our customers Holcim and KIBAG in Switzerland. This design is perfect for Switzerland, where vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of 40 tonnes are allowed to drive on 5 axles.

Concrete production in the concrete plants is clean and environmentally friendly, as the mixing plants operate electrically. This is not yet the case when transporting the concrete to the construction site: Up to now, powerful diesel engines have been the norm for such applications - combined with emissions in terms of exhaust gases and noise.

The new ETM 1005 and 1205 truck mixers on a chassis from Futuricum will change that: They transport large quantities of concrete to the construction site quietly and reliably without exhaust emissions. Since distances from the concrete plant to the construction site are relatively short compared to freight traffic, this all-electric solution is particularly well suited for this application. Moreover, the vehicles return to the concrete plant again and again, where there is a charging infrastructure for the batteries. Thanks to large accumulator capacities, charging the batteries is normally only necessary overnight. The Futuricum chassis is extremely powerful, with the equivalent of 680 HP, and can easily cope with the weight of the concrete. Energy recovery during braking or downhill driving further increases the range of the truck and reduces operating and maintenance costs.

The drum drive developed by Liebherr and ZF consists of a low-maintenance and efficient unit of electric motor and mixer gearbox. For the first time, both the truck and the truck mixer body are powered jointly by the traction battery, eliminating the need for costly power electronics components. The new Liebherr Generation 05 electrified body offers further advantages: The compact electric drive for the mixing drum is flanged directly to the drum and its high efficiency ensures that power consumption for relieving the traction battery of the Futuricum truck remains low. It also eliminates the need for any hydraulic equipment - no hose connections, no pump, and therefore no risk of leakage. Liebherr's truck mixer body boasts a low net weight combined with the best possible transport volume, a long service life thanks to its special wear-resistant steel and the ergonomic design of the operation system and access points. A platform system on both sides allows flexible positioning and attachment of accessories or attachments to suit customer requirements.

All subassemblies, chassis and mixer bodies are optimally matched to each other by Liebherr and Futuricum. The weight distribution across the axles is ideal for very good driving characteristics. A temperature management system ensures that the components are cooled or heated as required. The ETM 1005 and 1205 on Futuricum chassis are a real breakthrough when it comes to environmentally friendly concrete transport.

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