Graphene is expensive and hard to make. Like solid-state EV batteries, graphene batteries are still restricted to testing laboratories. They are not roadworthy yet. However, a lot of people in the auto industry are trying to make it happen.
Graphene battery technology—or graphene-based supercapacitors—may be an alternative to lithium batteries in some applications. The big advantage of supercapacitors is their high-power capability. The disadvantage is a low total energy density. These properties may seem at odds, but consider the definition of both terms:
Even so, graphene-battery technology is a tantalizing prospect for future smartphones, gadgets, electric vehicles, and much more. Fortunately, hybrid graphene products are already here and should become even more commonplace and affordable in the coming months and years. Graphene is definitely a technology to keep an eye on.
An average sheet goes for around $25, and this is the key to why Graphene is finally coming to the mass market. The downside is that a graphene battery would add about 30% extra cost to the battery component of a phone. But I’m sure most high-end consumers wouldn’t mind.
After lithium-ion and solid-state batteries, graphene batteries might be the next big thing to happen to EVs, and here's why. While lithium-ion batteries are presently the best option for EVs, their shortcomings have driven the auto industry’s urge to find a technology that can supersede them.
The analysis found that current lithium-ion batteries, NCM and LFP, are here to stay for the foreseeable future, as they are continuing to progress rapidly and are already cleared for use. But graphene, an unexpected contender, could be the next big disruptor. "If there is one battery technology to keep an eye on, it is graphene," Focus says.