Photo: Page-Roberts
When compared to liquid fuels, our current battery technology provides substantially lower energy, and most of the time, this affects the maximum range of an EV. Page-Roberts, a startup company, came up with a new design that proposes the rearrangement of the battery, allowing for an extended range.
Despite what you might think, not all car batteries are located under the hood. They might be hidden away in the trunk or beneath one of the rear seats like some plug-in hybrid models have, in order to save space and improve weight distribution.
However, most carmakers are putting the batteries under the floor as a handy way to package enough battery energy for good range. This comes with not only a downside but quite a few, including more height, weight, body structural complexities, and even an extended wheelbase.
Freddy Page-Roberts, Page-Roberts CEO, explains that "the skateboard arrangement in EVs results in taller vehicles with increased aerodynamic losses and energy consumption (especially at motorway speeds), an extra structure required to protect against impact, and a longer wheelbase to account for the battery."
With this new design, the battery would be located between the front row seats and the second row of rear-facing seats. According to the startup company, this particular arrangement would be more compact than standard EV designs on the market and could make the car more aerodynamic.
Additionally, the vehicle would be lighter, allowing for a 30 percent improvement in range or the use of a considerably smaller battery to obtain a comparable range. The concept could also have the potential to reduce production costs by up to 36 percent.
While most manufacturers are currently focusing their attention on SUVs, the Page-Roberts' design could be fitted to small EVs. The lack of batteries beneath the floor would make space for more versatile concepts.
Although this design could offer a great alternative for boosting up the efficiency and maybe help a bit with the range anxiety, the current electric car battery tech has a lot of room for improvement. As more EVs hit the road, there's also the problem of the battery lifespan that needs to be addressed.
However, most carmakers are putting the batteries under the floor as a handy way to package enough battery energy for good range. This comes with not only a downside but quite a few, including more height, weight, body structural complexities, and even an extended wheelbase.
Freddy Page-Roberts, Page-Roberts CEO, explains that "the skateboard arrangement in EVs results in taller vehicles with increased aerodynamic losses and energy consumption (especially at motorway speeds), an extra structure required to protect against impact, and a longer wheelbase to account for the battery."
With this new design, the battery would be located between the front row seats and the second row of rear-facing seats. According to the startup company, this particular arrangement would be more compact than standard EV designs on the market and could make the car more aerodynamic.
Additionally, the vehicle would be lighter, allowing for a 30 percent improvement in range or the use of a considerably smaller battery to obtain a comparable range. The concept could also have the potential to reduce production costs by up to 36 percent.
While most manufacturers are currently focusing their attention on SUVs, the Page-Roberts' design could be fitted to small EVs. The lack of batteries beneath the floor would make space for more versatile concepts.
Although this design could offer a great alternative for boosting up the efficiency and maybe help a bit with the range anxiety, the current electric car battery tech has a lot of room for improvement. As more EVs hit the road, there's also the problem of the battery lifespan that needs to be addressed.
Google News