Plus, why a major car company slashed the cost of one of its EVs.
February 8, 2025 Read in Browser

In the search for safer and more efficient batteries, water, of all things, is emerging as a potential alternative to lithium in the batteries that power our cars.

Plus, this week’s must-see video shows how one company wants to take delivery trucks off the roads and replace them with underground robots that can carry our packages.

NEXT BIG THING

New water-based batteries could make our cars safer and way more efficient — here’s how they work

Researchers in China found that using a water-based electrolyte produces batteries that can store nearly double the energy of lithium-ion cells. That improvement in storage capacity could mean increased range for electric vehicles and all but eliminate the risk of fires.

Scientists around the world have been working to decrease the need for minerals like lithium, nickel, and cobalt in batteries — with sodium- and calcium-based batteries, for example — since these limited resources cause damage to the communities and the environment they’re pulled from.

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🗳️

Do you worry about the longevity of EV batteries?

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 I’ve never thought about it 🤔

Cast your vote, see results, and share your thoughts by clicking any of the options above 🗳️

MORE COOL READS

🏠🖼️ See inside this one-of-a-kind home built using ancient technology

In Kerala, India, a unique home combines features including traditional Mangalore tiles and windows that maximize daylight to create an energy-efficient build inspired by ancient techniques.

🚄🤠 See the map of a new high-speed rail line that could take you between 2 major cities in 90 minutes flat

A new map for a proposed high-speed rail project in Texas shows how the line would connect Dallas and Houston, cutting the commute time to just 90 minutes.

🚢🔌 The world’s largest battery-powered cargo ship is up and running — and it looks pretty amazing

An amazing, battery-powered container ship known as Greenwater 01 has started regular service between Shanghai and Nanjing in China.

🔋😅 Scientists have made a major breakthrough in EV battery tech — thanks to a happy accident

A new material structure that scientists created by mistake could improve capacitor performance and help EV batteries charge faster and last longer.

🛢️⌛ This long-duration energy storage system would repurpose oil and gas infrastructure

Startup Hydrostor is developing compressed air energy storage, which uses air, water, and gravity to store energy for up to eight hours, and plans to break ground on its first large plant this year.

🧱🇧🇩 Why one country is moving on from a common building technology

Bricks made from clay and topsoil are destabilizing agriculture and polluting the air in Bangladesh, so the government is converting traditional kilns to make bricks from soil, cement, sand, and iron.

🚗🤑 Why Subaru slashed the cost to lease one of its most iconic models

Subaru slashed the leasing cost of its all-electric 2023 Solterra Premium now by over 40% earlier this year (you can see updated deals here as the company continues to change its prices).

ONE COOL LIST

Check out these 5 futuristic homes that can withstand natural disasters

From bricks inspired by Lego to homes that can withstand 225-mile-per-hour winds, check out our list of the most amazing weatherproof homes in the world.

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GOTTA SEE THIS

 
 

This unreal video shows how underground robots could be the delivery drivers of the future

A robot delivers packages to an office building in Atlanta via an underground system of pipes in this week’s must-see video.

The concept, from the aptly named startup Pipedream, could someday help remove vans and trucks from roadways and cut down on the pollution generated by transportation and logistics.

Watch the full clip