FIVE NEW BATTERY TECHNOLOGIES LOOKING TO CHANGE THE WORLD

In this day and age, electricity powers almost everything. Here are five new battery technologies that could change the world.

Tesla's recent announcement that they have created a more efficient and cheaper battery has the world buzzing. The guys at Electric Future have put together five other new battery technologies that have the potential to change the landscape too.

Today, technology is reliant on electricity, with many of the devices and gadgets we use every day needing to be recharged often. Let's consider electric vehicles, for example. They require heavy lithium-ion batteries that demand long charging times and are not very efficient. In fact, 1kg of fuel has, on average, 48Mj of energy while a 1kg battery pack has only 0.3Mj. That's a significant difference.

So, with the demand for electric vehicles predicted to rise significantly in the next few years, what is the solution? Well, Elon Musk announced that Tesla has developed "a larger, tabless 4680 battery cell with improved energy density, greater ease of manufacturing, and lower cost".

This is exciting news, especially considering the current environmental and geopolitical state of affairs. Over 80% of the world's lithium deposits are found in China, who doesn't always play well with others. Cobalt, another essential element for battery manufacture, is found mainly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Most of the mines in this third-world African country are run by militia who use child labour to mine it from the ground.

With Tesla's announcement, ears around the globe have pricked, and people are taking notice. But they're not the only ones with new tricks up their sleeves. In the video below, YouTubers, Electric Future showcase five new battery technologies that have the potential to change the world. Click play to find out more about these exciting times.