Lithium–air battery, they could make electric cars practical.

This recent article from MIT news is fairly easy to follow and shows some promise.

800 miles before needing recharge batteries is the issue, and not a particular number of hours.

700 to 800 is an interesting number and probably has more to do with electrical vehicles in commerce i.e delivering stock to shops and business’ rather than for Joe Public. I think for the average Brit at least the acceptance point for most would be “would it drive me to the coast for my holiday on one charge”. Which for us is probably at most a distance of around 250 to 350 miles. It’s less than 500 miles from London to Scotland and that’s a journey that few would make by car unless we had to. Personally, I think for the UK and Europe in general 400 miles would be the killer number for sales to go the way manufacturers would like.

I think they use miles as more of a way to show both time and distance before needing recharge.

Charging is a problem due to lack of charging facilities and the time needed to fully charge batteries for motor transport.

800 mile range? Which gasoline car can do this?

Increasing battery capacity alone won’t help. The problem is charging time, and especially the power needed for fast charging.
To recharge a 100kWh battery to 80% in 10 minutes: about 500kW power required (0.5 Megawatts). Connectors and cables must be able to handle this power - let alone the grid and transformer stations.

This is unnecessary, 350 mile range is more then sufficient, drive for hours, recharge at a supercharger while eating breakfast, lunch, dinner or relaxing with a coffee.

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Yes, this is a big problem yet to be addressed fully.

Range by mileage before needing recharge is dependent on quantity and quality of charging facilities.

Here in the U.S. the number of gas stations is so very high that few ever need to consider when and how they will need to refuel.

I am not sure if these two parallel tracks of development one battery technology and the other recharging facilities are developing with any planning or coordination.

An idea I have had for a long time but not seen written is leasing the battery and swapping batteries at gas stations. That would be as quick as filling the tank. The battery just has to be made of standard modules that plug and fasten in and out quickly.
I really like the Tesla Roadster. It doesn’t try to be a car for everything. It does what batteries can do well and is expensive enough that those who have one will have a bigger longer range car too.
About range, I used to go backpacking, starting at Tuolumne Meadows, from Los Angeles. That is only 350 miles, but there is no gas station there and it is at 9000 feet elevation.

Electric cars surely aren’t for everyone. Forget to gas your car up and you can remedy the problem almost anywhere. Forget to put your car on the charger and you’ve got a real issue.

Anybody want to join me in designing a portable battery roll-cart, for on the spot charging of cars that ran out of battery? It’s like the equivalent of walking down the street with a gas can because your car ran out of gas on the road away from a gas station. It’s the future of tow-trucks. Get in on this idea while you can!!! :smiley:

Tesla obviously has a plan, you can drive coast to coast by supercharging (for free incidentally). Nobody gives you free gasoline, and electric chargers are easier to install then a gas station, so by using gasoline your part of OPEC’s plan
A half hour to get 80% charge is more then adequate, i have done cross country road trips, stopping every 3 hours is the best way to go (this is driving a gas mobile)

Its been done AAA has electric car recahrgers in some key cities, the utilization has been poor

This has also been done, 90 second battery swap for your Tesla, usage was far below expectations, not sure if it still exists, it was a waste of money

There are lots of charging stations near me, grocery stores, target, malls, etc with more going in with new/remodeled stores. Demand is a local issue, you have to demand it to get it. It starts with commuter range vehicles but if the prevailing opinion where you live among community leaders isn’t in favor of it then it won’t be an option. Then you need to convince those leaders or replace them with more intelligent ones who can sense tomorrow instead of reminiscing about 50 years ago. This is an industry begging for leadership and we have the minds and bodies to grab it, all we need is for Detroit or whoever rolls over it to start running with it. If they showed as much gumption now as they did when colluding with big oil to rip up trolley tracks it would be a different story. There didn’t use to be gas stations everywhere either.

Electric cars will have there day, even without battery improvements, but not while gasoline is $3 a gallon.

700-800 miles is huge. But I can see why. maybe people only want to charge the car once a week. Plus it puts less wear and tear on the battery. They have to make batteries that can handle fast charging without putting extra stress on the batteries.
Current technology if you fast charge the battery may only last 3 years.
When me and mate drove the great Ocean road we done 1000km in a day. So it can be done.

What do you think Tesla (among others) have been doing?

The idea that electric cars need 800 mile range to achieve wide acceptance strikes me as ridiculous. Most of most people’s driving (in the US) is accommodated by a 100 mile range. Many people may take longer driving trips from time to time, and that consideration will probably influence their car buying decision, today, but things change and people adapt.

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Tesla too is building the largest lithium ion battery production facility in the world.

The 700 or 800 mile goal is an interim step until charging facilities become as available as gas stations are today for the internal combustion engine.

For some people putting 700 to 800 miles a week is not unusual for commuting and weekly trips.

When I travel, I like to do a 1000 miles a day, or at least 700 if I am trying to take it easy and sightsee a little, I also like to travel in winter and seek out the mountain passes and snow, and worst, if I am lucky enough to get into it.

For me, electric cars will be ready when you know that they can handle winter and mountains, and even getting stranded for a few hours or a day or so in bad winter conditions, it’s one thing to be sitting out a blizzard with a 3/4 or 1/2 tank of gas and probably another thing entirely to be in the middle of nowhere in a blizzard, in an electric car.

I think the Tesla X might sell well in Denmark.