Happy Friday - Electric Buses (lithium) BatteriesEngineers needed to resolve this persisting problem with electric public transportation batteriesThe batteries for electric use a lot of lithium, the lightest metal and the lightest solid element under normal conditions.The benefits of electric transportation are huge such asreduction of carbon emission but there is also a downside In London, Transport for London have 3,826 hybrid buses,1,397 battery electric buses, and 20 hydrogen fuel cell buses operating in London, as of March 2024, out of a total bus fleet of 8,776 – this is around 60% of the bus fleet.The electric bus plugs into the electricity grid to getcharged, and stores the electricity in batteries (often located on the roof). The batteries power an electric engine. Since an electric engine has fewer parts than an internal combustion engine, it requires less maintenance.I use public transportation a lot because of its convenience and reliability to get me around, but recently I noticed since the introduction of electric public transportation, in this cold weather that the public transportation was not as reliableas it once was.Two main reasons were highlightedThere aren’t enough charging pointsThe colder the temperature, the slower the reactions inthe batteries needed to generate power. This is not just a UK centric problem but experiencedacross the globe.In the Euro News, in Dec 2023, according to Anna Stefanopoulou, at -12 Celsius, a parked EV can lose up to 30-40% of its range before it even starts its route.In Science Direct, an article called “The influence of inclement weather on electric bus efficiency” by S Corbet · 2023 - Extreme cold and hot ambient temperatures have been shown to reduce the efficiency of Battery Electric Buses BEBs, as well as age their batteries. I am aware that Transport for London have equipped bus stops to boost batteries wirelesslywhen the hybrid buses arrive and they are also increasing the number of charging stations.So, engineers what solutions can help improve the efficiencyof these types of (Lithium) batteries in extreme weathers or are there alternatives that can do the same thing and maintain or improve the benefits that it offers.Happy inventing, innovatingThe STEM Positive Disruptor#Electricbuses, #lithiumbatteries#engineering#BEBs#Transportforlondon#electricbusefficiency#alternativesolution#EV#extremetemperatures

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