LIthium mining for electric vehicles is incredibly destructive to the environment and about as far from “green” as you can imagine

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[–]catfishrising 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (4 children)

Yes, everyone knows that. And battery makers are working hard to find greener, cheaper alternatives. So in a few years lithium may be gone, replaced with silicon, magnesium, or aluminum.

[–]HiddenFox 4 insightful - 3 fun4 insightful - 2 fun5 insightful - 3 fun -  (3 children)

Hydrogen is the future. All the lithium on the planet would only produce 2 billion vehicles and that would leave nothing for anything else. While that sounds like a lot, that's only enough vehicles for half a generation of people.

Silicon, magnesium, and aluminum can work but will never be as effective/efficient. (Unless some sic-fi tech comes along. Possible but unlikely.) Also you have some of the same issues with mining and production as you do lithium.

If we can find a safe way to store Hydrogen then the problem is all but solved. Even many existing deiseal engines could be converted to Hydrogen. (and I think gas too but not 100% sure.)

[–][deleted] 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

(and I think gas too but not 100% sure.)

Indeed they can! This bad boy was a bi-fuel hydrogen/gasoline all the way back in 2003.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazda_RX-8_Hydrogen_RE

Hydrogen is the future.

It sure is

[–]catfishrising 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

The problem with hydrogen is that you'd have to build a fuckton of infrastructure for it.

[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Sodium... China is already tiptoeing this kind of batteries for almost four months now.

We will get sodium-cells. If German engineers (e.g.) support it or not.

Solid state cells are waiting in the high-end segment. These will stay away from mass-markets for at least a decade, though.

Every other idea, I know of, needs a lot more tinkering and brainpower beforehand. Or is kept secret.