Could Bosch's new EV tech actually add driving range?
While range anxiety is persistent, a new type of material built into electric vehicles could keep the cars on the road longer between charges.
German car supplier Bosch announced something on Monday that could ease fears about running out of juice. The company claims its new silicon carbide ("SiC") semiconductor could add 6 percent to the range of electric vehicles. On the cheapest Tesla Model 3 with a 240-mile range that'd be 14 extra miles.
Last week, tech consulting firm West Monroe put out a study that says nearly 60 percent of U.S. adults are interested in an electric vehicle, but they're concerned about the costs, battery life, and the availability of charging stations. And 54 percent said a longer-lasting battery would incentivize them to buy or lease an EV as their next vehicle.
The chips, literally circular discs made from silicon and carbon, help conduct electric impulses to power all the electronics in a car, from windshield wiper sensors and cruise control features to eventually autonomous driving systems. They're also found within the electric system on EVs.
The silicon carbide chips save more energy than traditional silicon chips. An average car, both electric and non-electric, is full of semiconductors with about 50 throughout the powertrain (for EVs that means the electric motor and battery) and main car body. Semiconductor makers are noticing, especially with the increased sales of EVs. Studies put EV purchases in California up 40 percent for the first half of this year.
Bosch's new chip translates to a better EV because less energy is lost to heat that usually goes toward powering the electronics. The way electricity is conducted is more efficient, and the material is more heat resistant.
That saved energy (Bosch says it's 50 percent less energy lost) goes to keeping the battery charged. The chips can work in higher temps and don't need as much cooling equipment, again cutting back on vehicle parts and supplies and eventually cost.
With the silicon carbide tech, batteries can be smaller (read: cheaper) while still providing the same amount of battery range, Bosch claims.
William Crockett, a semiconductor expert and VP at Tanaka Precious Metals, said in a phone call that use of the SiC material is fairly new, especially in the automotive industry. Manufacturer Cree Wolfspeed first used it for LED bulbs. But for cars, Crockett said "it's a very fragile material," so we don't know how well it will perform compared to silicon, though it has potential.
Crockett sees a few added miles on a battery as a helpful, but only an incremental improvement for EVs. Instead it could be applied to charging systems and stations, "That's where the SiC technology is really going to be a big game changer."
Instead of a 30-minute wait for a battery to "fast" charge to 80 percent full, this could mean a much faster charge time, similar to the time it takes to fill up a gas tank.
"Charging cycle time and range anxiety has driven the interest in SiC," he said, "And now they're finding solutions — down to the chip."
Topics Electric Vehicles
Sasha is a news writer at Mashable's San Francisco office. She's an SF native who went to UC Davis and later received her master's from the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. She's been reporting out of her hometown over the years at Bay City News (news wire), SFGate (the San Francisco Chronicle website), and even made it out of California to write for the Chicago Tribune. She's been described as a bookworm and a gym rat.
