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Did you know that fireworks, your electric scooter and skin care share a common denominator? And are you aware of the element found in e-scooter batteries to power your exciting trip that can also calm down a bipolar person?
Read on…
1. Lithium in Nature
Lithium is a soft and light metallic element found in solidified rock that was formed when molten rock from volcanoes cooled down and crystallized
Thus far Chile, Argentina, Bolivia and Australia are some of the largest producers of lithium in the world. The USA has one mine in Nevada.
In Chile, Argentina and Bolivia also known as the “lithium triangle”, saltwater containing lithium, is pumped from “salars” or underground lakes to the surface where solar evaporation must take place - a time consuming process called “brine mining"
Reaching full production cycles can take years
In other areas in the world like Australia, mining lithium from mineral ore or Spodumene, is also viable due to richer deposits…more expensive than brine mining but generally requiring less time for production
2. The Nature of Lithium
Lithium in li-ion batteries enables hundreds of energy cycles with its electric dense longevity. Ordinary lithium batteries are not rechargeable
Lithium-ion batteries aren’t inhibited by a memory, and they don’t need to be primed on their first charge
Between 1.5 - 2%, they also have a low self-discharge rate
At 3.6 Volts per cell, battery packs need less li-ion cells compared to standard alkaline batteries with 1.5 volts…your smartphone only needs one cell
Lithium ions can move slightly slower in severe cold that will take your battery longer to charge but no harm done
3. Lithium-ion Magic in a Battery
Batteries basically convert chemical energy into electrical energy to power a device
lithium-ion stands for lithium and ionisation or li-ion in short
18650 (18 x 65mm) is the cell size classification of li-ion batteries - similar in shape as AA batteries though slightly larger
The cell as the smallest working unit in the battery, contains three parts…a positive electrode (cathode) and a negative electrode (anode)…and in the middle, they are separated but connected by liquid electrolyte
This short video from NASA Video explains the basic charging and discharging process https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgfceqwqUec
Li-ion batteries can sustain 300 to 800+ cycles of charge and discharge depending on the way they are treated and maintained…some call it babying!
For an e-scooter this can mean happy riding from anything between 3000 to 8000 miles and more, again depending on factors like rider weight, weather and road conditions etc.
Panasonic, Sanyo, Samsung and LG manufacture cells of the highest quality in their battery packs
4. Lithium-ion Battery Maintenance
Use manufacturer recommended chargers. It will have the correct voltage and ampere regulation compatible with your scooter battery. Li-ion batteries operate between 2.5 and 4.0 Volts
The electrolyte in Li-ion batteries can heat up during charging which is normal but should never make your battery too hot to handle…if that happens, disconnect immediately and let battery cool down
Most e-scooter battery packs come with an electronic component called BMS or battery management system. It prevents overcharging and cuts power before complete discharge to prolong battery life
Plan your routes and keep an eye on the discharge cycle subjected to temperature, your riding mode, road and weather conditions etc.
Avoid riding in rain and snow (in areas with salt on the streets) but check your scooter’s IP rating first. Some top range scooters like the Kaabo Wolf Warrior can handle moisture as the biggest threat, better than others
Same with dust and sandstorms
Li-ion batteries use more power when riding during winter
Riding with lights on will also drain battery life
In summer, beware of parking or storing your scooter in temperatures higher than 100F° and especially don’t leave it in a hot car
If not in regular use, clean, dry and store your scooter during summer or winter, around 59F°. The battery will reward you for that
Avoid complete discharge of the battery and periodically check charge levels, ideally ranging between 40% and 75%. As batteries age (irreversible), self-discharge rates can increase leading to a loss of capacity
Rather not leave it permanently connected to the charger during long storage
If you are super-eager to get as much life from your li-ion battery as possible, the sweet spot of charge lies between 20 and 80%
When buying a new battery pack, ask for the most recent manufacturing date
5. Lithium’s Other Fascinating Uses
Below are some of its many benefits…
Lithium is responsible for the red colour in fireworks
Used as a coolant in nuclear breeder reactors
Combined with copper, cadmium, manganese and aluminium, it’s used as an alloy to manufacture aircraft parts
Used in ceramics and when added to flux, in the manufacturing of shatter-proof glassware like Pyrex
As medication, it is one of the most successful drugs to relieve bipolar depression
Lithium stearate (lithium hydroxide with cooking tallow) can be found as a cosmetics stabilizer in hair and skin care products like lipsticks and foundation etc.
Applied as a general-purpose lubricant in aircraft, heavy machinery, and automotive industries
In petroleum, lithium inhibits corrosion
Lithium fluoride has been used in the manufacturing of focal lenses of telescopes
Torpedoes use li-ion batteries for firing
Lithium is used in non-rechargeable batteries for heart pacemakers
Railroad car bearings in Germany are made of lead containing lithium and other materials to make it harder than pure lead
6. Lithium’s Lows
Like fracking, high volumes of water used in lithium mining pollute and destroy surrounding water tables
Toxic chemicals used to process lithium have been linked to large volumes of waste with spills and contamination in some of the mining environments
It scars the landscape like most mining operations do
As a non-renewable source, increasing global demand is accelerating research towards alternative, safer and sustainable sources of clean energy
Large-scale economical recycling is hampered by huge fluctuations in the prices of raw battery material
Air travelling risk with li-ion batteries are closely monitored by airlines…if you plan on flying with extra li-ion battery packs, check your airline’s regulations first
With flammable electrolytes, quick charging can lead to overheating and a cooked battery
Lithium ages but new data has shown that fast charging can also speed-up degradation rather than actual use
Kindly do dispose of dead and damaged li-ion batteries only at a household e-waste collection point as they can be recycled at some permitted treatment facilities.
7. Lithium – The Quantum Leap Forward
Since its discovery in 1800, constant new technological applications of Lithium are being developed
During 2020, the USGS identified and estimated worldwide lithium resources at 80 million tons. By 2025, production is estimated to triple to 1.5 million metric tons
The idea that electric vehicles can outsell conventional ones by 2030 is no longer far-fetched…with far-reaching consequences on fossil oil reserves...
Tesla projected 500 000 electric vehicles to be delivered in 2020. Up to the 3rd quarter the number of deliveries was 318 350 cars. If all goes as planned during the 4th quarter, they will deliver 181 650 cars and meet their goal
Volkswagen is pushing production of 1.5 million electric cars in 2025 with 36 000 charging stations throughout European dealers and plants
The electric scooter market is expected to reach US$ 30 Billion by 2025 and US$ 42 billion by 2030
Still early days but research at Monash University in Australia is looking into a new filtration technique to extract lithium from brine within a few hours instead of months - at a 90% lithium recovery rate vs 30% of solar evaporation.
Our world is forever changing and with e-scooters smack-bang in the middle of all this furore, green transport is the way to go.
Let’s just do our bit with safe e-waste disposal as the footprint of our choices should not leave scars in our world or that of our children.
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