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There's a strong counter-argument that batteries large enough to power entire trains are also expensive to produce and maintain, especially when battery prices
by mike_hock 4y ago
There's a strong counter-argument that batteries large enough to power entire trains are also expensive to produce and maintain, especially when battery prices shoot up due to lithium scarcity, and that's not even mentioning the massive carbon footprint of producing those batteries. Diesel-electric trains are probably better emissions-wise.
- Reason077 4y ago> “Diesel-electric trains are probably better emissions-wise.” Definitely not!
- loonster 4y agoProbably safer in the event of a crash or mechanical failure. I would not like to see what electrical fire would look like from a lithium battery big enough to power s train.
- Reason077 4y agoElectric buses in Europe and China usually use LFP chemistry, because it's cheap(er) and much safer in a crash or fire because it's not prone to thermal runaway. Electric passenger trains will likely be using the same, or other stable li-ion chemistries rather than the more volatile nickel-based ones.
- Reason077 4y ago> “battery prices shoot up due to lithium scarcity” There is really no scarcity of lithium in the world. If more is needed then it’s easy to just tap new supplies because it’s pretty much everywhere if you go looking. Battery producers are more constrained by things like nickel and cobalt, but there are alternative, cheaper li-ion chemistries (such as LFP) that do without these.