Recently I was at a dinner with visiting members of my family discussing the noble transition that many manufacturers are making from producing their typical goods to producing essential goods and equipment for the coronavirus fight.
One that came up was Tesla’s transition to making ventilators, and one member of my family began to say that they wouldn’t want a Tesla ventilator if they were hospitalized, because it would probably catch fire and explode.
My fiance is in medicine rather than in our industry, so she took that to be a serious comment about the risk of ventilators sparking in an oxygen-rich environment. But it quickly became clear that this critic just has a deep and abiding skepticism of battery technology, because they repeatedly brought the conversation back to battery fires and cars exploding, despite there having been only 14 reported cases of Tesla vehicles catching fire between 2013 and 2019, with most of those happening after accidents.
This skepticism was addressed in a CleanTechnica article from late March (linked below). Although even the publication’s name clues you in to its bias, underneath some of the charged language is an honest reporting of the fact that while battery fires and malfunctions are rare, they can be extraordinarily compelling to watch, and consumer concerns about them are a major impediment to the adoption of battery vehicles.
Source: CleanTechnica Read The Article
That is why the new Blade Battery from BYD, a Chinese equipment and components manufacturer, has many observers of the alternative power sector excited.
The Blade Battery outperformed standard lithium-ion batteries on an array of extreme-condition tests, the most impressive of which was the nail-penetration test.
This test is exactly what it sounds like. A nail is driven into the battery to simulate an internal short-circuit. In these tests, a ternary lithium battery exceeded 500 degrees Celsius and openly burned, and a lithium iron battery reached temperatures of 200-400 degrees Celsius, which is dangerously hot.
The Blade Battery’s surface did not exceed 60 degrees Celsius and did not smoke or burst into flames. Because of its configuration, the Blade Battery also uses space 50% more efficiently than the conventional lithium iron battery, while maintaining a range of 375 miles. Even in the apparent absence of a real problem with battery vehicle fires, the battery industry is continuing to make advances that should reassure wary consumers.
Power Systems Research handles more than just the automotive sector. We track technology improvements and forecast equipment production in both on- and off-highway vehicles, lawn & garden, marine, power generation, and anything else that has historically been powered by an engine.
A common refrain among the non-automotive segments is that alternative power technologies in their segments are on about a 10-year delay from automotive. Attendees of the GIE+Expo know that lawn and garden equipment got there a little faster, but at CONEXPO in Las Vegas this year, it was clear that the Construction segment is getting in the game.
As one might expect, the first kinds of equipment to transition are those that do not require high amounts of continuous power. Zoomlion and Snorkel were displaying battery-powered scissor lifts, and Snorkel was discussing completely converting their rough terrain scissor lift line to battery in the near future.
Smaller equipment would be next, and we saw a number of examples. Toro introduced and will soon start shipping its battery-powered utility loader. Wacker Neuson demonstrated its plate compactor and tamper.
I had some doubts going in about their ability to sustain the required power long enough to be feasible, but was assured that with a two-battery system, where one is charging while the other is in use, an end-user would be more than able to make it through the work day. And a user might even be able to run a full day on one battery alone, depending on how continuously they are using the tool.
Keeping with their re-centered focus on being a leader in all forms of power solutions, Briggs & Stratton unveiled their Kodiak power packs, which they are hoping to release in a year alongside a line of smaller equipment from partner OEMs.
One revolutionary feature of these packs is that their cells can be individually removed and serviced. Even on the heavier side, Snorkel was showing off its new electric telehandler, and Kobelco displayed a battery-hybrid excavator.
The core goal of Power Systems Research is to provide added value to the industry with intelligence and data gathered through regular contacts with industry players and close monitoring of industry news. In that spirit, I’ll offer one fundamental piece of advice to our readers: Don’t be like my relative. Batteries are getting smaller, safer, and more powerful all the time. They are coming. PSR
Tyler Wiegert is Project Manager and Power Generation Analyst
