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I am of the opinion that the EV market is going to be held back until we have standard battery packs of known price, quality, and warranty. There's no good reas

I am of the opinion that the EV market is going to be held back until we have standard battery packs of known price, quality, and warranty. There's no good reason that this can't be taken on by some standards body. ANSI? Milspec? Please, somebody!

epistasis 10y ago
I think that there's still a need for significant exploration of the design space. What type of standard are you suggesting? Size? Connection? And how is that holding back anything at the moment?
- intrasight 10y ago
  Size: I'd suggest several standard sizes in multiples of 15cm (6 inches). For example 30cm cube. Connector: Should be recessed so it doesn't extend beyond size envelope. Voltage: Probably would need several. Connector should be unique to voltage. Multiple of 4.44 volts (NiMH x Li-Ion voltages). Lack of standards holds things back when companies need to make a very large investment and need to know over what timeframe it will work. These standards could be in place for a long time. The "D" cell battery standard is over a hundred years old.
tveita 10y ago
It hasn't happened for mobiles or laptops, and I suspect similar reasons will prevent it from happening for cars. As long as battery life, size and weight are all important to the buyers, manufacturers would rather put in the extra customization work to get a competitive advantage.
- imgabe 10y ago
  Being able to quickly swap out a standardized battery at a charging station would be a huge competitive advantage.
- intrasight 10y ago
  Capitalism depends first on competition and then on competitive advantage. We need standards for modular power storage before we can have competition. Look at the competition for standard PC PSUs. Super high-quality and low cost - compared to proprietary power supplies. Compete on quality (life, weight, cycles, etc) within the bounds of a modular standard.
  - URSpider94 10y ago
    Read The Innovator's Dilemma. Standardization in fact usually comes later, once the component in question has reached commodity status. Until then, if there is a competitive advantage to be gained by customizing, then the market leaders will make that investment to stay out in front. The leaders will either fight or snub standardization. Referring to the PC industry, the availability of standard components marked the death of the premium desktop business, since these days anyone with two hands and a screwdriver can bolt together a desktop as good as any other. That's great for customers, not so good for incumbents like IBM.
    - intrasight 10y ago
      IBM realized years ago that there's little value (in their case negative value) in being they guy with a screwdriver. >The leaders will either fight or snub standardization. I'll still claim that my PSU analogy applies. The leaders exist because of and welcome the standards. Those that fight and snub will certainly not be leaders.
contingencies 10y ago
standard battery packs of known price, quality, and warranty Here in China this is essentially the situation for the huge fleet of e-bikes from various manufacturers.
- intrasight 10y ago
  There you go. And the Chinese manufactures will likely create the standards for the larger batter packs. Customers will vote with their dollars. I assume that my first electric car will be Chinese. Might even have the name Tesla on it ;)

epistasis 10y ago

I think that there's still a need for significant exploration of the design space. What type of standard are you suggesting? Size? Connection? And how is that holding back anything at the moment?

intrasight 10y ago
Size: I'd suggest several standard sizes in multiples of 15cm (6 inches). For example 30cm cube. Connector: Should be recessed so it doesn't extend beyond size envelope. Voltage: Probably would need several. Connector should be unique to voltage. Multiple of 4.44 volts (NiMH x Li-Ion voltages). Lack of standards holds things back when companies need to make a very large investment and need to know over what timeframe it will work. These standards could be in place for a long time. The "D" cell battery standard is over a hundred years old.

tveita 10y ago

It hasn't happened for mobiles or laptops, and I suspect similar reasons will prevent it from happening for cars. As long as battery life, size and weight are all important to the buyers, manufacturers would rather put in the extra customization work to get a competitive advantage.

imgabe 10y ago
Being able to quickly swap out a standardized battery at a charging station would be a huge competitive advantage.
intrasight 10y ago
Capitalism depends first on competition and then on competitive advantage. We need standards for modular power storage before we can have competition. Look at the competition for standard PC PSUs. Super high-quality and low cost - compared to proprietary power supplies. Compete on quality (life, weight, cycles, etc) within the bounds of a modular standard.
- URSpider94 10y ago
  Read The Innovator's Dilemma. Standardization in fact usually comes later, once the component in question has reached commodity status. Until then, if there is a competitive advantage to be gained by customizing, then the market leaders will make that investment to stay out in front. The leaders will either fight or snub standardization. Referring to the PC industry, the availability of standard components marked the death of the premium desktop business, since these days anyone with two hands and a screwdriver can bolt together a desktop as good as any other. That's great for customers, not so good for incumbents like IBM.
  - intrasight 10y ago
    IBM realized years ago that there's little value (in their case negative value) in being they guy with a screwdriver. >The leaders will either fight or snub standardization. I'll still claim that my PSU analogy applies. The leaders exist because of and welcome the standards. Those that fight and snub will certainly not be leaders.

contingencies 10y ago

standard battery packs of known price, quality, and warranty Here in China this is essentially the situation for the huge fleet of e-bikes from various manufacturers.

intrasight 10y ago
There you go. And the Chinese manufactures will likely create the standards for the larger batter packs. Customers will vote with their dollars. I assume that my first electric car will be Chinese. Might even have the name Tesla on it ;)