Self-driving smart cars might be stealing the limelight but industry experts think their impact will be insignificant compared to electric vehicles (EVs). Revolutionary advances in battery technology will allow vehicles of all shapes and sizes to travel long distances powered not by polluting fossil fuels but electricity; reducing both the threat to mankind’s health and the impact on the environment.
The concept of the electric car has been around for decades but early examples were cumbersome, inefficient and expensive. Recent advances have facilitated the creation of attractive models, such as the Tesla, and have sparked hopes of an industrial renaissance. Investors, financiers, producers and the general public alike are all watching the EV industry with cautious optimism.
The numbers are encouraging. According to Transparency Market Research, the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of the electric car industry is poised to grow by 19.2 percent up to the year 2019. By then, the overall market value is projected to reach $271.67 billion.
The demand for cars that run on electric batteries has been steadily increasing. As noted by Electrek, advanced countries like the United States and Norway have witnessed a boost in electric car sales in their respective industries at a rate of 40 to 42 percent. The Next Big Thing notes that the People’s Republic of China is poised to give these nations a run for their electric-powered money. While EVs only compose two percent of the entire Chinese automobile industry, the government is pouring money, research, and political support and plan to increase this number by 20 percent in eight years’ time.
The technological dawn of the EV industry still faces one major obstacle. As critics and champions of traditional combustion engines gleefully point out, there isn’t an infrastructure in place for EVs. Gas powered vehicles can refill at any of the thousands of gas stations across the world. In most countries, EVs do not have this kind of infrastructure and charging stations are often overcrowded. A major contributor to this problem is the batteries themselves, they are expensive to make, take too long to recharge, and lose their stored power fast.
One company, however, holds the key to solving this tricky problem: Elcora Advanced Materials (TXSV:ERA, OTC:ECORF). The core activity of this Canadian firm is mining. Specifically, Elcora mines, develops, and produces high-quality graphite and graphene; the latter has been described as an almost miraculous metal with properties that far surpass those of steel.
As described by Baystreet, graphene is lighter than the steel but is 200 times stronger and tougher. What makes it the answer to the EV industry’s battery-related problems is that Graphene is a remarkably good conductor. If graphene is used as a conductor, the electrons that rush through it keep their heat intact and do not encounter any resistance. As a result, graphene is considered to be a superior conductor to the traditionally used copper.
Troy Grant, CEO, and co-founder of Elcora, explains how his company was able to position itself as a leader in a market with a value that is being increasingly recognized by government industry players, and the consumer alike: “Elcora was (and still is) among the first graphite companies to actually mine and process graphite. It is also a leader in the graphite powder production for Lithium-ion or Li-ion cells with fully integrated production from mining to the final product to customers. The same applies to graphene production. Elcora has been shipping graphene from its mining production for about two years.”
Li-ion battery cells are critical in ensuring that tech devices such as laptops and smartphones, and not just EV’s, operate without breaking down for a long period of time. Elcora develops anode graphene powder from its graphite minerals and supplies them to battery manufacturers which are always faced with the challenges of reliability, longevity, and sustainability. Elcora’s own tests and that of 10 battery manufacturers have shown that its product complies with the highest industry standards; performance tests have demonstrated that the powder is superior to those found in the market.
Mr. Grant is consolidating his partnerships with the battery manufacturers and with good reason. He says, “The battery anode graphite powder, there will be a huge shortage and high demand for that product. This is why we are having discussions with numerous battery manufacturers.” One of the company’s major partners is Lockheed Martin, a giant in the advanced aerospace, defense, and security technologies.
Elcora has a significant first mover advantage and their highly skilled R&D department will help them continue to improve and develop their products. Its high-quality graphene will be instrumental in helping make an EV transport system into a reality. With a remarkable foresight shown, it is perfectly placed to profit from the coming EV transport revolution.