What is the Application of Nickel in New Energy Vehicles?
3 Answers
Nickel is primarily used in nickel-based batteries in new energy vehicles. Among these, nickel-metal hydride batteries are one of the more successful types of nickel-based batteries. Below is a detailed introduction to new energy vehicles: 1. Overview: New energy vehicles refer to automobiles that utilize unconventional vehicle fuels as power sources (or use conventional vehicle fuels with new types of on-board power devices), integrating advanced technologies in vehicle power control and driving to form vehicles with advanced technical principles, new technologies, and innovative structures. 2. Others: New energy vehicles include pure electric vehicles, extended-range electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, hydrogen engine vehicles, etc. Pure electric vehicles are those that use a single battery as the energy storage power source.
Nickel is a big deal in new energy vehicles, mainly playing a starring role in lithium batteries. I once disassembled a Tesla battery pack, where nickel accounted for 50-60% of the cathode material in the NCM battery, working alongside cobalt and manganese to deliver energy. This design is brilliant—the more nickel, the more powerful the battery. That's why current 811 batteries push nickel content to 80%, easily achieving 500 km on a full charge. However, high-nickel batteries can be temperamental; rapid charging in summer causes overheating, requiring liquid cooling systems to keep them in check. Battery manufacturers are now experimenting with cobalt-free solutions, relying entirely on nickel to shoulder the load, which cuts costs and is eco-friendly. Even recycling nickel from old batteries for reuse is part of the game.
Have you noticed? The driving force behind the increasing range of electric vehicles these days is nickel. Last year, I studied CATL's battery solutions - their high-nickel batteries achieved an energy density breakthrough of 300Wh/kg. Compared to regular batteries, it's like the difference between a small cup and a large cup of milk tea. Nickel governs energy output in batteries - the higher its content, the more powerful the charge/discharge performance. Friends in northern regions don't need to worry about rapid power loss when using heaters in winter anymore. Automakers are all competing in nickel utilization - Tesla uses nickel-cobalt-aluminum, while BYD's blade batteries also incorporate nickel. However, nickel mines are concentrated in Indonesia and Russia. Last year's price surge caused battery costs to skyrocket, and recently Indonesia restricted exports, making battery recycling the solution to save the situation.
