8JUNE 2024MG MOTORS AND HPCL TO BOOST EV ACCESSIBILITY ALONG HIGHWAYSSOLID STATE SODIUM AIR BATTERIES SEEN AS PROMISING GREEN ENERGY SOURCEMG Motor India has announced a strategic part-nership with Hindustan Petroleum Corpora-tion Ltd (HPCL) to significantly enhance the electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure across In-dia. This collaboration aims to install 50kW and 60kW DC fast chargers at key locations along highways and within cities, providing greater convenience to EV us-ers during long-distance and intercity travel.The partnership involves the installation of high-ca-pacity DC fast chargers at strategic locations nation-wide, targeting both highways and urban areas. These chargers will be placed at HPCL's fuel stations, lever-aging the company's extensive network. This initiative addresses the challenges faced by EV owners in finding reliable charging points, especially during long trips. By increasing the availability of fast chargers, MG and HPCL aim to make EV adoption more practical and con-venient for users.MG Motor India's Chief Growth Officer, Gaurav Gup-ta, highlighted the importance of HPCL's vast network in ensuring that EV users have easy access to charging solutions. HPCL's Chief General Manager of Highway Retailing, Rajdip Ghosh, emphasized the company's dedication to providing green fuel options and support-ing sustainable initiatives. Furthermore, HPCL aims to install a total of 5,000 EV charging stations by Decem-ber 2024, significantly contributing to the country's EV infrastructure. This partnership with MG Motor India is expected to boost the utilization of these chargers, given MG's growing base of EV users.The collaboration will enhance the EV charging ecosystem, encouraging more consumers to switch to electric vehicles by addressing range anxiety and improving charging accessibility. By focusing on high-ways and intercity routes, the partnership ensures that EV users can plan long-distance journeys without wor-rying about charging availability. The increased infra-structure support will likely accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles in India, contributing to the country's goals for reducing carbon emissions and promoting sustainable transportation.The partnership between MG Motor India and HPCL marks a significant step towards strengthening the EV infrastructure in India. By installing fast chargers at HPCL's widespread fuel stations, the initiative aims to make EV charging more accessible and convenient, supporting the broader goal of a sustainable and green future. Aresearch team led by Professor Byoungwoo Kang and Dr. Heetaek Park from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Pohang University of Science and Tech-nology (POSTECH) has successfully developed a high-energy, high-efficiency all-solid-state sodium-air battery. This innovative battery can reversibly utilize sodium (Na) and air without requir-ing any special equipment, marking a significant advancement in the field of next-generation high-capacity secondary batteries.Key Features and Benefits:Metal-Air Battery Technology: Metal-air batteries, which use abundant resources such as oxygen and metals like sodium, are considered promising for green technologies such as electric ve-hicles and energy storage systems. These batteries draw power from the reaction of metals with oxygen.Challenge of Carbonate Formation: A common issue with met-al-air batteries is the formation of carbonate byproducts when the metal reacts with atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and wa-ter vapor (H2O). This carbonate formation reduces the battery's efficiency. Traditionally, metal-air batteries require additional equipment, like an oxygen permeation membrane, to purify or se-lectively use atmospheric oxygen, which complicates the system.Use of Nasicon Solid Electrolyte: The research team addressed the carbonate issue by using Nasicon, a Na superionic conductor and solid electrolyte composed of elements such as Na, silicon (Si), and zirconium (Zr). Nasicon is capable of ion movement in the solid state and demonstrates high electrochemical and chem-ical stability. This solid electrolyte effectively protects the sodi-um metal electrodes from the air and facilitates the breakdown of the carbonate formed during the electrochemical cell operation.Enhanced Energy Efficiency: By leveraging Nasicon, the team achieved a reversible electrochemical reaction involving carbon-ate, which increased the energy density of the cell. This increase was accomplished by raising the working voltage and signifi-cantly reducing the voltage gap during charging and discharging, thereby enhancing the overall energy efficiency of the battery.Impact and Applications:This development has substantial implications for green technol-ogies, particularly in improving the efficiency and performance of batteries used in electric vehicles and energy storage sys-tems. The ability to create a high-energy, high-efficiency battery without the need for complex additional equipment simplifies the manufacturing process and reduces costs. The research un-derscores the potential of all-solid-state sodium-air batteries to become a viable and efficient alternative to current battery tech-nologies, contributing to the advancement of sustainable energy solutions.TOP STORIES
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