Battery Tech and who should we Trust?

[G. David Felt]

This thread is all about discussions on the current and upcoming battery technology. Much is changing and fast in the battery industry as we move from Liquid Lithium-ion to Solid State Lithium-ion.

Discuss your thoughts and feelings here about this sector of the industry and how it will play out on EVs moving forward.

 

Latest news is that Ford has signed a long term contract to use the Chinese CATL New Super Charging LFP battery cells. 

Quote: 

The new Shenxing battery is an LFP unit, which CATL says is the very first 4C superfast charging battery of that type in existence. It will reportedly be capable of adding up to 400 kilometers (248 miles) of range in just 10 minutes of charging and 700 kilometers (435 miles) on a full charge, which the company believes will help alleviate concerns regarding range anxiety and long charging times. 

Ford EV Partner CATL Debuts New Fast-Charging LFP Battery (fordauthority.com)

CATL is expecting LFP battery cell production to start at Blue Oval City for use in EVs in 2024.

But then we have the concerns of the politicians.

U.S. House Expands Probe Into Deal Between Ford, CATL (fordauthority.com)

QUOTE:

The House Energy and Commerce Committee recently sent another letter to FoMoCo requesting more information from the automaker pertaining to its agreement with CATL, citing national security concerns as the catalyst behind this query. The letter was spearheaded by Energy and Commerce Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, along with 25 of her colleagues.

“While Ford has labeled this project a ‘commitment to American manufacturing’ and asserts it will create 2,500 new American jobs, we are concerned that Ford’s partnership with a Chinese company could aid China’s efforts to expand its control over United States electric vehicle supply chains and jeopardize national security by furthering dependence on China,” the letter reads.

Ford has stated the following: Ford has maintained that CATL won’t have any stake in the new plant, and also that it won’t receive any sort of as part of this deal. Rather, the automaker insists that it will merely use technology licensed from CATL to build LFP batteries at its new plant, which will be used to power future all-electric vehicles.

So how do you feel about an American company licensing tech from the Chinese and calling it American made due to creation of the end product here in the U.S. by Americans with Royalty paid to a Chinese company?

Sound off on the Tech and who owns it and why.

[G. David Felt]

Very cool to see that prices are dropping much faster on the cost of battery cells than expected.

EVs Set to Match Gas Guzzlers in Price as Battery Costs Plummet - CNET