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Innovation is a revolution which draws out the best in every industry and gives us, what we like to call, technology advancement. When it comes to the world of automotive, innovation is something like second nature, without which, there is not much that can spin the industry and generate billions in revenue all over the world. Come new year and innovations across the industry begin making the rounds and the year 2019 is no different. With more alternatives and energy sources available at the disposal of major industry giants, there is no dearth of innovation and chances for improving the scope of automobile operations. Newer technology is slowly but gradually paving its way into the industry and the days are not far ahead, when leading technology will plug the holes of existing obsoleting options. The automobile industry happens to be one of the largest by far, to undergo innovation and capital investment for the purpose. Certainly, these innovations will pave way for better and improved products in the future, which are likely to change the shape of the industry for better and that will perhaps, not be the end of it.
With the advent of the new year, many automotive giants have already announced new versions of their cars and new features which would be launched along with them. From seating to lighting and navigation, there is a lot that we have already been thankful for but it is time to get to know some more exciting innovations which have marked the market starting the year 2019.
When it comes to a car battery, we must not fail to mention the potential improvement that it can bring to a car’s overall performance. Battery technologies hold the most potential to upgrade and revolutionize automotive performance and it is here that an extensive niche for improvement exists. Over the past few years, car batteries have remained one of the most important and discussed matter in the field of automotive development. The conventional lead acid battery, which has been used for years now, is being replaced with new innovative alternatives. Although, they continue to receive some or the other form of improvement but are being increasingly replaced with lithium ion batteries. With the growing variety of vehicles which play on the roads, there is no doubt that innovation for each such vehicle and consequently, an improvement for the conventional modes of automotive features is a stark requirement.
What the industry requires today is preparation of appropriate battery systems design and charging capabilities, which can increase the efficiency and deliverability of a given automotive. With innovation marking everything from battery designs to charging strategies, we are looking towards the next best in the automotive industry.
While lithium ion batteries may present some serious challenges and limitations, in terms of what they might achieve, industry leaders are forever on a quest to search for better solutions, which are fast, reliable and efficient. Superior battery solutions such as solid state lithium ion operates such that it can provide superior charging, in far less time than any ordinary battery. Similarly, Grabat graphene batteries have been discovered to offer a driving range of up to 500 miles on a single charge. Also, these batteries can be charged up in a very short time.
The next level innovation in the field of batteries comes with foam batteries, which happen to be very safe, reliable, offer longer durability, charge up faster than normal batteries, and are up to five times more denser than the current battery model.
A similar state of innovation is currently marketing the arena of fuel cells. The future energy conversion market is set to receive many more innovations before the current design of fuel cells can be harvested for larger impact. Fuel cells today, are regarded as a stiff competition to dispersed generation which makes use of conventional clean fossil fuels. Fuel cells make use of hydrogen, and this is why they are built into large chemical plants, which can be regarded as dispersed refineries. How can innovation be used to improve the home and automobile energy conversion markets is what remains to be seen.
Right from the vehicles which we drive, to the components that propel them, everything is undergoing a change. When one technology makes its way into the market, another one falls behind, maybe to undergo further innovation, or to be labelled an obsolete technology. The future of technology is bright, which is why we need to stay updated with the current trends in the domain of automotive changes.
Let us get to know about some of the major cells in the arena of automobiles today and how they have undergone major changes over the years.
1. Hydrogen cells: Battery driven electric vehicles require heavy batteries to carry them over long distances while the lesser developed suite of technologies supporting hydrogen vehicles results in efficiencies that drive the cost of hydrogen north, especially at the current low volumes. But there’s more to it than that.Hydrogen cars have been a debatable but interesting topic for years. At its heart, a hydrogen car is basically an electric vehicle with a very small on board battery that undergoes continuous charging from a hydrogen fuel cell which is responsible to pull stored hydrogen gas and then to mix it with the oxygen from the atmosphere, and then, to run it through a proton exchange membrane. This results in the release of electricity along the way. The only byproduct of this entire process is water, making the vehicle basically, just an electric vehicle which receives its power from an altogether different type of onboard battery drivetrain.
2. Lithium ion cells: One of the most conventional modes of battery operation, the battery is set to undergo major changes in the light of upcoming innovations. Usually. Lithium ion batteries are employed in the use of larger appliances and electric cars. However, the scope of improvement on this front cannot be declined. There is a lot about the performance of these batteries that can be upgraded. At a higher level, these type of batteries can be designed to undergo performance improvement to such an extent, where they do not explode or catch a fire. They can probably also be enhanced for quick charging and lightweight handling, which makes their use easy and simpler. Consequently, they can be used to provide charging for many days. As it is, industry workers are set on reducing the overall cost associated with a lithium ion battery. New materials are being employed to improve the overall performance of the battery.
3. Solid state cells: solid state batteries have a major role to play in the automotive industry. Many industry findings are now working at improving their overall performance and scale of efficiency. The new technology, which is being brought into play in this domain, caters to superior performance, and increased reliability of the cells.
The auto industry is eagerly gearing up to put up all the money in various start ups, merely in the search for quick innovation. It is believed that funding to the industry will significantly raise the chances of meeting the best innovations from like minds. As of now, there are five top players who are largely invested in the industry. Take a look at their names below:
1. General Motors: For the better part of the past two decades, the company has predominantly placed its interest in the automobile sector alone. With spending ranking in the millions, the company is here to stay invested.
2. BMW iVentures: The biggest spender in the sector out of the 5, the company has been consistent with its investments in the automobile sector. It has also come up with some of the most remarkable innovations in the field of automotive technology.
3. Daimler AG: The company is known to make investments across different sectors, including electric vehicles, robotics, ride sharing, apps and software, and others. The company is largely set up in the electric care segment and looks forward to bring further innovation.
4. Toyota Research institute: Spending from the company goes up in millions, but the company is presently invested in a single sector, intuition robotics, which is at the core of its innovations plans.
5. Ford Venture capital: Working on the software component of innovation, the company is not far behind in this arena.
According to recent reports, Toyota, Hyundai, Honda, and Shell are among the few major car making players in the market today, which seek to pump investments in the area of hydrogen technologies in the days to come. For this purpose, a hydrogen council is being constituted, which will be responsible for highlighting the benefits and role of transition to cleaner and newer forms of energy in the automobile sector.
