In the rapidly evolving landscape of electric vehicle (EV) technology, a new player is emerging as a formidable challenger to Tesla Inc.’s dominance. QuantumScape, a Silicon Valley-based startup, is revolutionizing the EV battery market with its cutting-edge solid-state batteries. The batteries are touted to have triple the energy density of Tesla’s lithium-ion cells, significantly faster charging times and a safer, more sustainable design. QuantumScape’s leap into the future is marked by its in
I’m privileged in that I live in perhaps the country with the densest coverage of EV infrastructure anywhere (except for maybe a microstate or two), but in the 7 months of driving an EV I’ve not once experienced range anxiety.
You can’t do huge roadtrips without a recharge every 250-350km in this relatively more affordable model, but for daily driving it’s like waking up with a full tank every day. If I visit friends 200km away, I just park at a destination charger and walk the last 200 meters.
At least right now that’s is a lot more viable than hydrogen. I can’t fill up in my town. I can fill up near my work 35m away. But it would a hassle.
I speak more of the US market. There are plenty of other countries where an ev with a 200km range would work great, but in the US dense cities that no one ever goes anywhere from all have people living in apartments that can’t charge at home and due to how expensive real estate there is, going to a rapid charge place and waiting there 30 minutes costs more than gasoline.
Then in the less dense places…well, I am a more extreme case, but my drive to work is 140 Km each way. The US is so huge and so many people at least have to occasionally drive do far, that a 200km vehicle just isn’t enough. Doubly so for colder areas/times when that range is drastically reduced.