Three factors contribute to the mass penetration of electric vehicles:
- Driving range that eliminates range anxiety;
- Lower cost batteries for affordable vehicles;
- Availability of fast charging.
A common denominator is the battery’s energy density: it is the amount of electrical energy per unit volume (or per unit weight) that a rechargeable battery can store. Energy is measured in units of kWh. Hence energy density is in units of Wh per liter (Wh/l), or Wh per kg (Wh/kg). State-of-the-art energy density figures for lithium-ion batteries stand today near 700 Wh/l and 300 Wh/kg.
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