Toyota confirmed it would put as much as $10 billion into the U.S. over the next five years to boost local operations, after Donald Trump flagged that the carmaker planned such an investment. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2025/11/13/companies/toyota-us-10-billion-investment/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #companies #toyota #carmakers #cars #investments #donaldtrump #batteries #electricvehicles
Interesting real world data, on 1GW firm power supply.
Masdar UAE - solar + batteries.
Cost USD 6 billion.
Construction time 2 years (caveat, not sure if this is a tranche or all of it)
Hualong One
Cost USD 3 billion (from actuals)
construction time 5 years
So purely on construction cost, large scale firm solar is twice the price of Chinese nuclear.
Note, fuel, op costs, water needs, llife time, site cleanup etc not accounted for.
Turns out batteries are quite useful.
Tom
boosted
Silos for Sunshine https://electrotechrevolution.substack.com/p/silos-for-sunshine #batteries #solar #energy
Tom
boosted
Silos for Sunshine https://electrotechrevolution.substack.com/p/silos-for-sunshine #batteries #solar #energy
Batteries at scale are changing a lot of assumptions.
Batteries the focus of Japan's EV market, with domestic automakers adopting lighter, more efficient packs and technologies popular with Chinese manufacturers. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2025/10/19/companies/ev-battery-race/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #companies #electricvehicles #carmakers #batteries #suzuki #honda #nissan #china #byd
Chinese battery giant CATL has announced a new Sodium Ion battery pack for EV that is game-changing. It features:
⦁ 10,000 charge cycle lifetime to 85% capacity
⦁ 90% power capability at -40℃
⦁ 175 Wh/kg energy density, behind Li-Ion at 300 Wh/kg
⦁ no thermal runaway danger
⦁ cost $19/kWh, compared to $50/kWh for Li-Ion
This will be ideal for mid-range, low cost EVs, and for grid batteries. They start mass production in 2026.
#Energy #EVs #Batteries
https://carnewschina.com/2025/09/18/catl-says-next-gen-sodium-ion-battery-supports-500-km-range-readies-for-2026-mass-production/
The thing about batteries (and renewables, but REALLY about batteries) is the sheer volume of research (both in labs, company R&D and deployed) along with the pletora of research directions to choose from.
We are still at the bottom of the hill for battery and energy storage research.
With its commanding position in the battery industry, China has identified another point of leverage in trade talks as the U.S. increasingly needs energy storage to support data centers and stabilize the grid. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/13/world/politics/china-us-trade-batteries/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #politics #china #batteries #us
Neville Park
boosted
Head's up Bicycle Folks. Recall on bicycle lights.
"Product
Knog Blinder 900 and 1300 bicycle lights
Issue
Consumer products - Fire hazard
What to do
Immediately stop using the recalled product, safely dispose of it at a local recycling facility that accepts lithium batteries and register for a free replacement.
Details: The light’s lithium-ion battery can overheat (thermal runaway) and pose fire and burn and hazards.
"
der.hans
boosted
If you're storing anything battery-powered (flashlight, radio, etc.) as part of your emergency supplies, don't store it with alkaline batteries inside. When they inevitably leak, they'll damage or destroy the device. Much better to rubber-band them to the outside.
Head's up Bicycle Folks. Recall on bicycle lights.
"Product
Knog Blinder 900 and 1300 bicycle lights
Issue
Consumer products - Fire hazard
What to do
Immediately stop using the recalled product, safely dispose of it at a local recycling facility that accepts lithium batteries and register for a free replacement.
Details: The light’s lithium-ion battery can overheat (thermal runaway) and pose fire and burn and hazards.
"
If you're storing anything battery-powered (flashlight, radio, etc.) as part of your emergency supplies, don't store it with alkaline batteries inside. When they inevitably leak, they'll damage or destroy the device. Much better to rubber-band them to the outside.
alcinnz
boosted
Fascinating tech, but 2400°C molten tin just sounds scary.
Fascinating tech, but 2400°C molten tin just sounds scary.
Who remembers the number 800 torch battery? I was talking to someone about batteries and I remembered these from my youth.
I don't think I've seen any physical ones since around 1970, back then but they were popular for cycles.
Show your age!
China’s solar, battery and electric vehicle companies have expanded their foreign investment plans in recent years, having pledged more than $210 billion since 2022. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2025/09/10/tech/china-green-tech-overseas-factories/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #tech #china #renewables #wind #solar #energy #batteries