Credits: Social Media
We are one step closer to flying cars as scientists test new energy sources
In a very Back to the Future moment, scientists are taking steps towards making flying cars the go-to transport of the future.�
When you envision the future, and what it might look like, it is only natural to picture out-of-this-world technology and flying cars. They have been involved with just about every sci-fi project, from The Fifth Element to Total Recall, Blade Runner to Star Wars.�
Could we all be using eVTOLs in the future?
Researchers from the Department of Energys Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) are prioritizing clean energy as they work to make our Sci-Fi dreams a reality. The scientists are currently working on new batteries for the electric vehicle eVTOLs, which take off and land vertically like helicopters.�
The eVTOL program presents a unique opportunity for creating a brand new type of battery with very different requirements and capabilities than what we have seen before,” said Ilias Belharouak from ORNL.
In a bid to make the vehicles more efficient, the team is looking at making new energy-dense materials and developing battery control systems.�
This requires us to answer questions about the interplay of battery safety, cycle life, and stability at high temperatures while balancing the need for short bursts of high power with energy reserves for longer-range flight, Belharouak added.
The batteries needed are unlike anything else on the market
The eVTOLs need very specific batteries to operate safely and efficiently, largely due to them needing varying levels of power depending on their movement.
Now we know more about what is required of the eVTOL battery, well need to engineer systems differently to achieve that, said ORNL lead researcher Marm Dixit. Our focus is fundamental: What happens to the materials under these specific loads and operating conditions? We are trying to figure out the limitations of the battery chemistry we have now, and then tune the battery to bridge that gap.
