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Researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia have figured out how to extract lithium, an essential part of electric vehicle batteries, from seawater in a more cost-effective way.

The study, just published in the journal Energy & Environmental Science and titled “Continuous Electrical Pumping Membrane Process for Seawater Lithium Mining,” states:

Our method may serve as a feasible approach to secure the lithium supply for future energy usage.

The ocean contains about 5,000 times more lithium than on land, but it’s at extremely low concentrations – about 0.2 parts per million. So how do we capture it?

Here’s how the KAUST team tackled the challenge using Red Sea water (and an ion is a particle, atom, or molecule with a net electrical charge):

The KAUST team solved this problem with an electrochemical cell containing a ceramic membrane made from lithium lanthanum titanium oxide (LLTO). Its crystal structure contains holes just wide enough to let lithium ions pass through while blocking larger metal ions.

The cell contains three compartments. Seawater flows into a central feed chamber, where positive lithium ions pass through the LLTO membrane into a side compartment that contains a buffer solution and a copper cathode coated with platinum and ruthenium.

Meanwhile, negative ions exit the feed chamber through a standard anion exchange membrane, passing into a third compartment containing a sodium chloride solution and a platinum-ruthenium anode.

At a voltage of 3.25V, the cell generates hydrogen gas at the cathode and chlorine gas at the anode. This drives the transport of lithium through the LLTO membrane, where it accumulates in the side chamber.

This lithium-enriched water then becomes the feedstock for four more cycles of processing, eventually reaching a concentration of more than 9,000 ppm. Adjusting the pH of this solution delivers solid lithium phosphate that contains mere traces of other metal ions — pure enough to meet battery manufacturers’ requirements.

The researchers estimate that the cell would need only $5 of electricity to extract 1 kilogram of lithium from seawater, and the value of hydrogen and chlorine produced by the cell would more than offset the cost. Further, residual seawater could be used in desalination plants to provide freshwater.

Group leader Zhiping Lai says:

We will continue optimizing the membrane structure and cell design to improve the process efficiency.  By Graham Hill thanks to Electrek.co

Road safety organisation, GEM Motoring Assist is calling for new ways of assessing whether a driver is medically fit to hold a licence.

The call supports the latest report issued by the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC), which criticises current approaches to assessing driver medical fitness.

GEM is urging individual drivers to ensure they take responsibility for their own safety and fitness to drive. Family members should also be wise to the early signs of unsafe driving in their senior relatives, says GEM.

The starting point for establishing fitness to drive in the UK – and in many other European countries – is still an assessment based on age, despite studies showing that specific medical conditions, substance abuse, mental disorders, epilepsy and diabetes are also important factors when it comes to medical fitness to drive, according to GEM.

Neil Worth, GEM chief executive, said: “This report confirms that mandatory age-based screening of older drivers is ineffective in preventing severe collisions.

“It is concerning that the only requirement in law for anyone aged over 70 is to declare every three years that they are fit to drive.”

GEM says that an age-based self-certification system should be replaced by regular medical examinations for drivers of all ages, with checks on eyesight, hearing, vision, and blood pressure.

Worth added: “However, in the absence of an effective re-testing framework, it’s vital that we each take responsibility for our own safety.

“We want as many people as possible to enjoy the freedom of the open road as drivers, but safety must be the priority.”

GEM also warned fleet and business managers of the ‘increased likelihood’ of distracted driving when drivers get behind the wheel again amid the lifting of coronavirus lockdown restrictions. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Recommendations for who will be legally liable if an autonomous vehicle is involved in a collision or commits an offence are set to be published by the Law Commission before the end of the year.

The organisation has completed a consultation into the legal ramifications of the technology and is now assessing responses before making its final recommendations.

Jessica Uguccioni, lead lawyer of the Law Commission’s autonomous vehicles review, says: “One of the big things we’ve determined is that you can’t just keep the current system for enforcing road traffic rules when it comes to automated vehicles.

“At the moment you can basically lock people up if they do something really, really bad on the road, like dangerous driving, but that is just not going to work with the automated driving regime.

“We need to have a system which is much more based on ensuring safety to begin with, but then understanding why things have gone wrong and preventing them happening again because a single incident can have ramifications for many other vehicles.”

In the Law Commission’s consultation document, the organisation says different levels of automation should affect where liability lies.

If the vehicle is fully autonomous and can travel without a driver in them then any people in the vehicle are merely passengers so have no legal responsibility for the way the vehicle drives and are under no obligation to take over the driving.

Determining liability for autonomous vehicles which require a human driver to be in control of the vehicle at times is more complicated.

While there will be periods when the vehicle is fully autonomous or when it is being fully controlled by a human, there will also be times when the vehicle is transferring control to the driver.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

As I understand it, unlike other countries, in order to succeed in the class actions being taken out against manufacturers for fitting defeat devices that reduced the CO2 emissions being released into the atmosphere whilst being tested, we have to prove that the owner or lessee of the vehicle suffered a financial loss.

The argument has been put forward that this could effect anyone in the ownership chain since manufacture through to current ownership. For example it is only recently that lawyers have announced actions against ALL car manufacturers.

So whilst no customer may have been affected at the time the cars were originally fitted with devices, as no-one knew about it, owners of the affected cars at the time the stories broke could have a case if their used car plummeted in value.

But with used diesels hitting an all time high the cases are set to fail. On to the story:

Prices of diesel used cars reached a new high during the first quarter of this year, according to Autorola’s latest online remarketing report.

Prices rose to a record of £14,769 from £13,847 in Q4 2020, a rise of 6.6% (£922) at an average age and mileage of 33 months and 25,437 miles.

Wholesale diesel sales also reached record levels for the second successive quarter comprising 43.6% of all used cars Autorola sold online during Q1 2021.

Hybrid used car sales were also strong during the first quarter, accounting for 5% of Autorola volumes. Prices fell back slightly to £14,812 on the back of a rise in average age and mileage to 35 months and 24,797 miles, which compares favourably with battery electric vehicles (BEVs), which saw a fall in both volumes and prices during Q1.

BEV prices fell by 19.6% (£3,391) from £19,978 in Q4 2020 to £16,047 in Q1 2021 as average age rose from 24 to 27 months.

Autorola saw BEV sales halve during the quarter as the trade cleared out its less desirable stock. EV prices continued to find any level of consistency having been as low as £11,100 and as high as £19,900 during the past 15 months.

Jon Mitchell, Autorola UK group sales director, believes diesels have been “written off” by many, because new car sales have fallen dramatically, but he says that in the used market demand and prices have been “very strong” for the past 12 months.

“We are likely to see this continue as used stocks begin to fall over the coming years,” he added. “The popularity of hybrids is becoming very consistent, while EV prices continue their rollercoaster ride and show no signs of stability.”

Autorola saw used petrol prices remain consistent in Q1, rising by an average of 2.6% (£286) from £10,706 in Q4 2020 to £10,992 as average age rose from 32 to 34 months and average mileage fell from 19,336 miles to 17,961 miles. Petrol cars accounted for 51.4% of Autorola’s total sales in the quarter, a fall from Q4.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

A new type of electric vehicle (EV) charger that can deliver enough charge for 60 miles of driving in one minute is being developed in Poland.

Ekoenergetyka – Polska is working on a series of charging stations with the capacity to deliver charging speeds from 750 to 1500kW.

They will be known as the Network of Ultrachargers (NeU) and will launch in Germany and Poland by the end of 2023.

Initially, the chargers will have a capacity of 750kW – enough to provide 60 miles of range in one minute in the average passenger car or four minutes for 250 miles of range.

The company also claims that it would take around seven minutes to provide 60 miles worth of power to an electric truck.

Dagmara Duda, president of Ekoenergetyka-Polska, said: “In our R&D centres, we create and improve technologies and products that allow us to dynamically develop electromobility at its best, in all market segments, regardless of the location.”

The new solution will be implemented in Germany and Poland first. By the end of 2023, Ekoenergetyka and its partners will launch a network comprising 22 charging stations. The hubs will be located in the vicinity of motorways and in several urban centres, with the aim to serve, among others, utility vehicles and municipal services.

Ekoenergetyka-Polska has been designing and producing fast charging stations for EVs for 12 years. So far, the company has launched more than 1200 charging stations in 130 cities in 18 countries.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

A new tariff from Good Energy, in partnership with Zap-Map, will allow electric vehicle (EV) drivers to charge their plug-in car for free.

Launching in April, the tariff will offer the free electricity when Britain is generating an abundance of solar and wind power.

When this happens, customers will be alerted to a four-hour ‘flash’ window when charging their vehicle will come at no extra cost.

Good Energy’s CEO and founder, Juliet Davenport, said: “Britain generates so much renewable electricity it only makes sense for us all to take advantage of this free resource.

“The new ‘flash’ tariff will offer people the chance to benefit from free, green power when the wind and sun are strongest.

“Electric vehicle drivers are already doing their bit for the climate – here’s a chance for them to go one step further and support a truly clean energy grid.”

The so-called ‘Zap Flash’ tariff aims to provide people with a cheaper and greener way to use electricity. Shifting energy consumption will also help National Grid balance supply and demand during high levels of renewables on the system, it says.

The product was designed with EV mapping service Zap-Map, while the tariff will be enabled by smart metering.

Zap-Map’s co-founder and chief operating officer, Melanie Shufflebotham, said: “The electric vehicle market is changing rapidly, and we need to keep up.

“There will be over 70 pure electric models available to buy in 2021 and the UK now has close to 500,000 plug-in vehicles on the road.

“This innovative tariff is supporting these seismic shifts by offering drivers a cheaper and greener way of charging their vehicle.

“Zap Flash goes above and beyond what’s currently on the market by listening to what people want and helping them go electric.”

Good Energy will be rolling out smart EV chargers and an updated app to work alongside the new product.

It will be initially launched in beta phase, allowing for more sophisticated versions as the company learns from customers.

The ‘flash period’ will vary in day each week, but the times will remain the same in the summer and winter months.

The Summer Flash Period will run from April to September between 11am and 3pm. The Winter Flash Period will run from October to March between 11pm and 3am.

Customers will be given at least 24 hours’ notice in advance of the flash period.

Good Energy recently invested a further £1 million into Zap-Map to support the company’s continued growth in the electric vehicle market.

The flash tariff is an example of the progress Zap-Map has made since Good Energy took an initial stake in the business two years ago, it says.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Car manufacturers are reducing the number of optional features offered on new models and fitting smaller wheels in order to simplify the WLTP values for each model.

Each new car registered in Europe has a unique WLTP value, which is affected by its specification.

Options that impact a vehicle’s standard weight, drag or rolling resistance can change a vehicle’s WLTP values. Additions such as a sunroof are likely to add approximately 2g/km of CO2 to a vehicle’s emissions levels and any change to a vehicle’s specification must be calculated with complete accuracy.

Jato Dynamics says as manufacturers began the transition from NEDC to WLTP, they changed the number of options available for purchase, reducing the models on offer.

Some have reduced the average tyre size of their vehicles, as smaller wheels are less likely to create as much friction or resistance.

David Krajicek, CEO at JATO Dynamics, said: “Where options were once key money-makers for OEMs, they can no longer look to these to generate cash for fear of exceeding CO2 limits, and the waste of resources that arises from calculating every single vehicle’s unique WLTP value.

“The shift away from these additional features and the evolution towards EVs will likely continue. We cannot say with certainty what manufacturers’ model listings will look like in the future, but one thing is clear – on demand WLTP data for meeting budgets, policy guidelines, and ultimately keeping businesses running will be key.”

The changes go much further than options, however. Since 2017, many OEMs have moved away from standard internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, in favour of lower emissions electrified vehicles.

Last year. EV registrations more than doubled in Europe. The Netherlands, France, Finland and Ireland, have all significantly increased the number of EV models available since 2017.

The Netherlands currently has the greatest number of EVs available for purchase, rising from 18 models to 50 models in the space of four years. This is closely followed by France, with an increase of 29 models during the same period.

Finland more than doubled its electrified offering from just 13 models to 29 last year. Similarly, Ireland has more than tripled its range, rising from seven to 24 models in 2020.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Fleet operators are being warned that there are fewer replacement tyres available for electric vehicles (EVs), by ATS Euromaster.

Tyres built specifically for EVs vehicles will vary by manufacturer, but some have a special structure to support the additional weight of the battery.

ATS Euromaster says there is unlikely to be a greater wear rate for EV tyres, despite the battery weight and the instant acceleration – so long as the correct tyre pressure and settings are used.

Mark Holland, operations director at ATS Euromaster, said: “Tyres for electric vehicles will generally have better-rolling resistance, maximising the distance the car can travel.

Because there’s not as much noise created by these vehicles – since there’s no internal combustion engine – these tyres will have better dB reduction, so less road noise can be heard inside the cabin as a result.

“More EVs in the future will begin having specific EV tyres fitted to these vehicles as original equipment, and although it’s always recommended to change tyres like for like where possible, as this will offer the best vehicle performance, this isn’t mandatory.

“What is important when it comes to replacement is that the correct tyre size and load ratings for the vehicle are used, no matter which product is selected.”

 ATS Euromaster warns that specific tyres for EVs are only just arriving onto the market, meaning there will be fewer choices available compared with other tyres and patterns.

An EV tyre is like a homologation on a vehicle, therefore the original tyres should be replaced by the same ones where possible, but if not, the correct size and load ratings must be met.

Holland added: “Fitting the correct tyres for electric vehicles will not only make it a better in-car experience for fleet drivers, but also provide the best performance from the vehicle.

“Check the owner’s manual for any information on how to change a tyre, in case there are any specific instructions, plus details on the vehicle’s tyre size and load ratings. Not following such advice may lead to unplanned vehicle downtime that may affect the business.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The cost of repairs to vehicles suffering pothole damage over the past 12 months has been revealed in new research published by Kwik Fit.

Its annual Pothole Impact Tracker (PIT) report, which is published today (Wednesday, March 31), shows that the total repair bill to vehicles from pothole damage over the past year rose slightly, from £1.249bn to £1.267bn.

Kwik Fit’s PIT Report tracks the impact of potholes on an annual basis and its research shows that this year, despite reduced mileage, drivers have hit an average of 11 potholes per month, and some 10.2 million have suffered damage to their car as a result.

As tyres are a car’s first line of defence against potholes, they are the most commonly damaged component, suffered by 4.2 million drivers.  This is followed by suspension damage (3m), wheels (2.8m) and steering (2m).

The average cost of repairs has reached £127.20, an increase of 11% on the previous year.

Almost half (48%) of drivers say that the condition of the road surfaces in their local area are worse than 12 months ago, with only 12% saying they are better; 35% say they are about the same.

Roger Griggs, communications director at Kwik Fit, said: “The condition of our roads is a long-term issue as shown by our PIT report over recent years.

“Potholes are not just an issue because of the cost to drivers, they present a risk to people’s safety.

“We need to ensure that any funds made available are used strategically and effectively and not just for short term patching up of the worst affected areas.”

The Kwik Fit research coincides with the publication of the Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) survey.

POTHOLE FILLED EVERY 19 SECONDS

It says that inconsistent roads funding is leading to highways authorities conducting quick fixes to potholes rather than employing longer-term solutions.

The 26th survey reports a 15% increase in highway maintenance budgets which were, in part, due to additional funding from central Government, including the Pothole Fund in England, as well as supplementary pots to support changes as a result of Covid-19 needs and active travel ambitions.

However, budgets reported are still lower than they were two years ago, and road conditions have yet to see any significant improvement.

This up-down approach to funding, says the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA), results in wasteful patch and mend repairs as local authorities have a statutory duty to maintain the highway but “don’t have the scope or certainty of funding” to implement more cost effective, proactive repairs.

This is borne out by the large increase in the number of potholes filled over the past 12 months in England and Wales, the equivalent of one being filled every 19 seconds, it says.

Local authorities also report that, despite the increase in budgets, target road conditions still remain out of reach.

If they had enough funds to meet their own targets conditions across all road types, there could be an additional 14,400 miles of local roads in a good state of repair and another 2,000 fewer miles in need of urgent repair.

Rick Green, chair of the AIA, said: “The last year has been like no other and the ‘hidden heroes’ responsible for maintaining our local roads should be proud of the role they played working throughout the pandemic to keep our key workers and emergency services moving, supermarket shelves stocked and vaccines distributed.

“While the extra funding in 2020/21 was welcomed, using it to repeatedly fill in potholes is essentially a failure as it does nothing to improve the resilience of the network.”

Green says that the average frequency of road surfacing is now once every 68 years and the bill to fix the backlog of maintenance work on our local roads in England and Wales remains in excess of £10bn.

“It is clear that a longer term approach to local road funding is needed, similar to the five-year commitment made to the strategic road network in the two Roads Investment Strategy (RIS) periods, to allow local authority highway engineers to plan ahead and implement a more proactive, sustainable and cost effective whole life approach to maintaining the network,” he said.

“This commitment is vital to the nation’s post-pandemic reset in which we will rely on our local road network to support recovery and underpin active travel and levelling-up goals.”

LONDONERS COMPLAIN MORE

The Kwik Fit research showed that drivers in Scotland are most likely to say their roads are worse than a year ago, while motorists in London are least likely.

In the capital a third of drivers 33% say the roads are worse, but nearly as many (27%) say they are better.

Interestingly, it is London drivers who are most likely to have complained to their local authority about the potholes in their area. Almost half (46%) of London motorists have done so, compared to an average of 30% of drivers across the country, which may be a reflection of the fact that London drivers pay an average repair bill of £142.60, compared to the national average figure of £127.20.

Drivers hitting potholes may find that the damage is not immediately apparent.  Pothole impacts can often result in slow punctures, damage on the inside wall of the tyre, or cracks in the wheel which are not obvious straight away.

Any driver who hits a pothole with significant force should monitor their car carefully in the days following the incident, to ensure that their vehicle has remained unscathed. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

BP Pulse has announced a new partnership with The EV Network (EVN), which will “significantly” expand its ultra-fast electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. 

EVN is an EV charging infrastructure development company, helping bridge the gap between landlords and charge point operators in rolling out a network of rapid and ultra-fast EV chargers and charging infrastructure in the UK.

Over the past three years EVN says it has carefully selected and secured the very best sites in the UK, seizing ‘first-mover advantage’ in what has become an increasingly competitive UK market.

BP Pulse is aiming to double the size of its network in the UK to 16,000 charge points by 2030, with a particular emphasis on ultra-fast chargers, with the total amount of charging on the BP Pulse network is set to grow 30-fold by 2030.

The new hubs will be a key part of the company’s ambition to deliver fast and convenient charging for the growing number of EV drivers.

Matteo de Renzi, CEO of BP Pulse, said: “We’re taking another step forward in our commitment to make ultra-fast charging widely accessible across the UK, including in easy reach of the motorway network.

“These new hubs will complement BP Pulse’s existing plans to expand the number of ultra-fast chargers on BP’s forecourts and it’s exciting to be launching this new additional option for drivers.”

The agreement is expected to deliver new ultra-fast EV charging destinations in the areas with high volumes of traffic.

The sites will be developed by EVN with each having a range of ultra-fast charging bays and some becoming EV convenience and mobility hubs with food, drink and other facilities on offer to drivers as they charge.

Reza Shaybani, co-founder and CEO of EVN, described the agreement with BP Pulse as “ground-breaking”.

“Together we will be fuelling growth in a vital part of the UK’s green economy, making a reliable national network of EV charging stations a reality for fast growing number of electric vehicle drivers,” he said.

A recent Ionity survey found that range anxiety and charging times are still the main barriers for adopting and switching to EVs.

The research found that in the Netherlands, a country with a well-developed charging infrastructure, drivers of electric cars actually have fewer concerns about charging times (37%) or charging stations (35%) based on their experiences.

In the UK, it found that the main incentive to buy an EV is the ability to drive further on a single charge (34%) and more charging points becoming available in the respondent’s area (28%).

Gridserve opened its first electric forecourt in Braintree last year, which enables 36 vehicles to be charged at the same time at up to 350kW.

It is the first of more than 100 in the UK Gridserve is planning to build in the next five years as part of a £1 billion programme. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News