WOW - Rip Off Dealership

[Timsdually]

Because manufacturers are cheap.

 

[Tulecreeper]

Not really... I see his point and it's valid. Why hasn't the typical el cheapo car battery changed much from 1971 to now? Wouldn't it make more sense to perfect that system before moving on to a highly complex system that drives a car? I mean... lithium ion batteries are available....

A battery is a battery, whether it's the one that starts the truck and manages the on board electronics or one for the entire vehicle. If the technology were so advanced then why aren't manufacturers (who sell EVs alongside ICE vehicles) switching batteries in ICE vehicles over to the newer Lithium Ion equivalents in place of lead acid? They take up half the space and provide just as much (if not more) power.

Easy (and you can research this).

1.) Reliability - Lead acid batteries perform more evenly in various regions. So whether you live in Arizona or in Maine, the battery will perform relatively the same. The technology is mature. You can also use just about any type of 12v charger to charge them back up. Manufacturers are also geared more towards charging and maintenance of lead-acid.


2.) Cost - Lead acid batteries are much cheaper to produce and much more cost effective for the consumer to replace. Since they're easier to recycle, the disposal cost is also minimal compared to a lithium ion.

This is why manufacturers still stick lead acid batteries in their ICE vehicles. It's also the same reason that EVs haven't taken off as much as some would think. They're not yet reliable enough and they're still really expensive.

And the charging system for lithium batteries is different than for LA. You can charge a lithium battery with a standard 12v charger, but you will never get that battery to full charge. Lithium batteries also don't discharge their power along the same lines as LA. Usually, a LA battery will tell you when it is about to fail as it slowly loses it's capacity. A lithium battery will keep putting out the same amperage until it's dead, then it will just be dead. It is also not generally a good idea to jump start a lithium battery.

 

[nlambert182]

Because manufacturers are cheap.

They're not necessarily cheap.... they're looking for that fine balance between staying in the black and producing something that the market will accept. Every cost has to get passed somewhere and that's usually to the consumer. Do you want to pay it? I certainly don't considering that what we have now is extremely mature and works well. This effort is a race to the bottom, not the top.

EVs just aren't there yet and the market is showing it. Even Elon has said that we are just not ready for a full EV switch yet.