Mercedes is Going Vegan…At Least With Its Batteries
Mercedes is investigating organic battery technologies for its future electric vehicles as part of its efforts to be carbon neutral by 2039. Present-day batteries make use of earth elements that are few and far between like lithium and cobalt which require comprehensive mining and cannot be recycled entirely.
Andreas Hintennach, Mercedes senior manager of battery research says that he believes that these environmentally friendly organic batteries are “very promising technology” and could be used in the German automaker’s road cars in the future.
“…. I’ve already seen it working in laboratories, where the results look really good, but we don’t see that it’s close to being used in production technology for now.” Hintennach added that he does not anticipate the technology to be used in production vehicles for another 15-20 years.
The company showcased its new battery technology with its brilliant Vision AVTR concept, which has remarkable features like noteworthy 3D graphics, full-on autonomous function, complete electric power, and let’s not forget the “bionic flaps”. If all of what was promised comes into fruition, it will undoubtedly change the future of the automotive industry.
“We’re aiming at carbon-neutral vehicle production, growing the share of electric vehicles sold and, finally, having a carbon-neutral new passenger car fleet by 2039. We want to address this in a holistic way. That includes driving our suppliers and partners to comply with our objective of carbon neutrality,” remarked Källenius, chairman of the board of management Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG.
Why Organic Batteries Are Taking Over
Electric vehicles of today are powered by lithium batteries which are beneficial due to being compressed and have the ability to be charged in a short amount of time. However, the downside is the mining and disposal of the batteries which compromise the environmental perks of electric power.
The organic battery functions with organic cell equipment and a water-based electrolyte. Not only does this resolve the issue with mining but gives way for the batteries to be recycled.
Investigating Stand-Ins
Hintannach hinted that the company is investigating several possible future battery equipments to stand in for the current lithium batteries as well as solid-state ones.
Solid electrolytes are used rather than gel-based in solid-state batteries, they are also used in pacemakers and other small mechanics. Mercedes plans on using solid-states for fleet vehicles.
Mercedes Plans For The Present Day
Although Mercedes is planning for the upcoming decades, it’s still keeping the technology of today in mind. Hintannach expressed to Autocar that he hopes they can get a 25% increase in range from the current batteries as well as looking into other combinations like lithium-sulfur and lithium-oxygen batteries.
Mercedes-Benz of Washington
Although we still have ways to go before Mercedes makes the electric switch, the company is still able to deliver high-quality vehicles, just as they’ve always done, more specifically at Mercedes-Benz of Washington. There you’ll find a wide range of amazing high-powered vehicles in our new and used car inventory.
For those who are looking for something more tech-savvy, I recommend the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 4MATIC® SUV, as it offers features like active-brake, blind-spot, and lane-keeping assist. Feel free to chat with an online representative if you have any questions.