Dr. Aravind Kumar Chandiran, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology in Madras, has developed a low-cost and high-energy zinc-air battery as an alternative to lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles.
According to Dr. Chandiran, zinc-air batteries can be used for low-powered vehicles or as a range extender for long haul vehicles when used in combination with lithium-ion batteries.
This combination of batteries would solve high power, high energy, and long-range anxiety issues. Additionally, zinc-air batteries are water-based and safer than lithium-ion batteries, and almost all the raw materials are available within India, which is a top producer of zinc.
The zinc-air battery can be mechanically recharged through the swapping of zinc cassettes, which takes less than 5 minutes and is done at zinc stations.
The spent zinc is then converted back into zinc plates using a solar-powered process, resulting in a 100% green energy with no net emissions.