Electric vehicles-power plants – will replace electric vehicles and cars with internal combustion engines

The problems with electric car sales in the EU show that buyers are not ready to completely abandon cars with internal combustion engines. The situation is especially difficult for European manufacturers, as their production costs for electric cars are higher than those of their Chinese competitors.

On September 5, Volvo abandoned its plan to sell only electric cars by 2030. Volkswagen and Mercedes had already announced this. For electric cars to become a mass mode of transportation, more affordable models are needed, such as the Italian Fiat 500, which costs €35,000. However, this is perhaps the only budget model of an electric car from European manufacturers. Prices for more premium models such as the Porsche Taycan (€107,000) and BMW i7 (€116,000) remain unaffordably high. In July, electric car deliveries to the EU fell by more than 10%, mainly due to a 37% drop in sales in Germany, which until recently was considered the locomotive of the European economy and especially the auto industry.

Due to the difficult economic situation, Volkswagen is forced to optimize operations at six of its plants in Europe. The possibility of closing some of them, including plants in Germany, is being considered. In addition, the company announced the end of production of Audi electric vehicles in Brussels.

Temporary import duties imposed on three Chinese manufacturers - BYD, Geely and SAIC - may become permanent from November 2024. In total, with the already existing duty of 10%, they can reach 30%. This is a serious restriction on imports, but it is worth considering that the closed plants of European manufacturers are likely to be acquired by Chinese companies. For example, the Audi plant in Belgium may come under the control of Chinese companies such as NIO or Geely. As a result, the Chinese auto industry may become dominant in the EU market after some time, displacing local manufacturers.

It is unlikely that the problem of increasing the competitiveness of local electric vehicle manufacturers can be solved only by increasing import duties and other administrative measures against Chinese electric vehicles. The competitiveness of electric vehicles not only in comparison with Chinese manufacturers, but also with cars with an internal combustion engine is determined not only by price, but also by ease of use. Due to the underdeveloped and sometimes inconvenient infrastructure of charging stations, drivers have to worry in advance about whether the battery charge will be enough to reach the end of the route. And if not, then they will have to call a tow truck to take the electric car to the nearest charging station.

Today, electric vehicle manufacturers are focused on creating high-capacity batteries, which can significantly increase the distance that a car can travel without recharging. While the number of electric vehicles is relatively small compared to cars with an internal combustion engine, this approach may be reasonable. However, if the operation of cars with internal combustion engines is gradually banned, sooner or later the question will arise whether alternative energy will be able to meet the growing demand for electricity? After all, if electricity is produced by burning fossil fuels, then the transition to electric transport will become unjustified.

The solution to most problems can be found in the field of implementation of innovative technologies that will allow the creation of electric vehicles with internal energy sources that do not require fuel. The level of modern scientific developments makes it possible to achieve this goal in the coming years. Currently, there are many different fuel-free power generation systems, but the question remains: can they be adapted to the needs of electric vehicles?

Such questions include:

• reliability and uninterrupted operation of generation systems for the period of operation of the electric vehicle;

• ease of operation, in particular, the absence of noise from the power generating equipment;

• safety during use;

• sufficient power to move the electric vehicle;

• the ability to abandon bulky and expensive batteries.

The vast majority of fuel-free power generation technologies do not meet these criteria. The company Neutrino Energy Group came closest to solving the problem by developing a graphene power generation technology that allows converting the energy of particles of surrounding fields of invisible radiation into electric current.

“The competitiveness of European electric vehicle manufacturers can be increased by introducing graphene power generation, which we have developed for both private and industrial power supply needs, as well as for electric vehicles,” said Holger Thorsten Schubart, President of Neutrino Energy Group, based in Berlin. The company’s graphene power generation technology

Holger Thorsten Schubart, President of Neutrino Energy Group

As a result of the experimental design work, a body of an electric car was created from metamaterials, into which graphene threads are woven and energy collection points are placed. This innovative design made it possible to abandon the installation of a traditional generation unit, which operates on the principle of Neutrino Power Cubes, designed to supply electricity to private consumers and industrial enterprises. The capacity of such units is 5-6 kW. The new technology allows to significantly reduce the weight of an electric car, mainly by reducing the size and weight of the battery. Electric cars with graphene power generation are supposed to use a small battery, which will provide peak power coverage and accumulate excess energy, especially during parking.

The technology of electricity production using graphene for electric cars is at the stage of technical adaptation. According to calculations by Holger Thorsten Schubart, an electric car with a graphene power supply system should be ready by 2026. However, it is expected that more time will be needed to implement this technology in assembly production, since the industrial technology differs from that used in design work.

Nevertheless, it is safe to say that we are moving towards the creation of autonomous electric transport that does not require recharging from external power sources. If the plans of Neutrino Energy Group are successfully implemented, this, without exaggeration, will be a real revolution in the field of electric transport.

Author: Rumiantcev L.K.

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