In an unique interplay with Ashish Sharma, Senior Director Automotive India, Capgemini Invent, we mentioned the function of OEMs and the necessity for cautious design to affect the way forward for EVs and different various mobility options that may facilitate this worldwide transition in a sustainable method.
While net-zero emissions are the objective, there are legitimate issues over the provision of battery supplies, the sustainability of whole provide chains and the carbon footprint that’s generated by these options. Ashish Sharma informed TOI Auto, “All these challenges will not be solved with a single innovation. The availability of materials for batteries, the sustainability of the entire supply chain, the need for more charging stations, and recycling capacities are key concerns that need to be addressed. Significant improvements in battery technology, including the move to solid-state electrolytes, implementing a successful circular battery economy will make them cheaper, safer, more durable, and faster to recharge.”
According to him, the lifetime of a battery pack is now not a roadblock as they’re already exceeding the lifetime of a automotive by providing 4,000 equal full cost cycles earlier than depreciating to 80 % depth cost from its rated capability. Sharma acknowledged, “The energy content of battery cells has been increasing over the years and smarter packages make it possible to put even more capacity (28Ah -> 63Ah) into the same volume, with a weight increase of only 25%. In the near future, we can expect batteries with an energy density to increase by a factor of 2-3.”
However, recycling is among the important segments the place EVs will introduce further alternatives, “Today, it is possible to salvage over 70 percent of a battery pack and over 90 percent of critical materials. The recycling industry is making strides in lithium-ion battery recycling and will continue to do so in the years to come. The manufacturer’s responsibility should not end when the product goes from the production line to the client. To make their mark, organisations need to look for ways to optimize technological innovation.”
And it isn’t the battery packs alone that may contribute to the recycle/repurpose business. For a future that maximises sustainable mobility, conversion/retrofit kits for older ICE automobiles to run on electrical energy will even play a serious function. “The process of building a new vehicle is costly, in terms of energy and greenhouse gas emissions, so there can be a scope of retrofitting to restore and electrify old vehicles based on the adaptability of the existing vehicle platform.” Sharma stated.
This is the place retrofitting older automobile’s can contribute to the worldwide net-zero ambition. Such conversions have the potential to turn out to be a serious contributor in reducing emissions of business automobiles particularly. OEMs are already adopting modular platforms that may accommodate completely different power choices.
Sharma additionally acknowledged that, “it could be worth converting them at scale provided the platform design, vehicle architecture conforms to such conversions and at the same time are in accordance with existing CMVR regulations prevailing in the country.”
The next frontier: Smart Grids!
The issue of carbon footprint being generated at energy sources, currently depends upon geographical location or day time vs night time charging. The rollout of fully functional smart grids is essential to maximise efficiency and here’s why.
Currently in countries such as India, charging during night time uses fossil energy as that electricity is being produced by coal powered thermal plants, whereas, charging during day time is the only sustainable way as that utilises solar or hydro energy. As most EV owners prefer to charge their vehicles overnight, the indirect carbon footprint of their vehicles ends up being higher.
The answer, Smart Grids. Ashish Sharma tells us, “A fully functioning Smart Grid features sensors throughout the transmission and distribution grid to collect data, real-time two-way communications to move that data between utilities and consumers, and the computing power necessary to make that intelligence actionable and transactive. Renewable energy sources can be integrated at high penetration at the scale we need to address climate change by using these smart grids.”
“EVs can be made more economical and sustainable if they can communicate with the grid to agree on when to draw energy from the network. Currently, access to vehicle-generated data is usually limited to OEMs themselves, but this will change with the likely adoption of an app store model enabling third parties to provide services. The right Electrification System Strategy will be defined by designing the System & Electric architectures for an accurate energy management system and is the next crucial step in the electrification process.” He added.
Do you assume electrification is a sound technique in the direction of the net-zero emissions objective? Tell us within the feedback under.
Source: auto.economictimes.indiatimes.com