The hottest Batteries Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

Battery Component Price Report: October 2024

Intercalation Station • 59 implied HN points • 02 Nov 24
đź•ą Technology Batteries
  1. LFP battery prices are still under $50 per kWh. This means it’s a good time for consumers looking for affordable energy solutions.
  2. The report tracks battery component prices every month. Following the trends can help understand the market better.
  3. Subscribing gives access to exclusive updates and resources. It's a way to stay informed about changes in the battery industry.

Deep dive in hybrid battery packs

Intercalation Station • 159 implied HN points • 30 Oct 24
đź•ą Technology Batteries
  1. Hybrid battery packs mix different battery chemistries to improve performance. This allows for better energy management and potentially raises the accuracy of state-of-charge readings.
  2. These new packs can perform better in low temperatures and support faster charging. By combining different cell types, they can work more efficiently across different conditions.
  3. While hybrid batteries have advantages, they can also be more expensive and heavier. This extra cost might make them less appealing for some applications, though prices for certain battery types are dropping.

The battery breakthrough we've been waiting for? (Odds and Ends #90)

Odds and Ends of History • 670 implied HN points • 12 Mar 26
đź•ą Technology Batteries
  1. A featured podcast episode covers opening NHS data for scientific research and explains how the Net Zero transition makes electricity pricing much more complicated.
  2. Coverage mixes politics and tech, with pieces on what the collapse of communism teaches the abundance movement, analysis of Labour’s 'hero voters', and tech stories like a possible EV charging/battery breakthrough plus a sharp takedown of a bad AI argument.
  3. There’s a short take on Britain’s Eurovision entry and its chances, and longer essay content is behind a subscription (a 7‑day free trial is offered), though the planned essay has been delayed by illness.

Weekly Dose of Optimism #182

Not Boring by Packy McCormick • 210 implied HN points • 27 Feb 26
đź•ą Technology Batteries
  1. Big advances in clean energy are moving from lab to grid. Gigawatt‑hour iron‑air batteries are being deployed for multi‑day storage and startups are pursuing stellarator fusion plants, both pointing to more reliable, decarbonized power and new manufacturing jobs.
  2. Medical research is producing transformative, non‑traditional therapies. Phase‑3 psilocybin trials show strong results for treatment‑resistant depression and other studies suggest benefits for chronic conditions like post‑treatment Lyme, while vitamin B2/B3 genomics identified a simple, life‑saving therapy for NAXD in animal models.
  3. The internet economy is accelerating and reshaping commerce and payments. Fast growth in new businesses, app activity, and stablecoin payment volume, plus concepts like agentic commerce, suggest rising momentum — but widespread progress will depend on regulatory and permissioning systems.

How To Break Up With Your Toxic Acid

Intercalation Station • 59 implied HN points • 23 Oct 24
đź•ą Technology Batteries
  1. Fluorine plays a big role in making lithium-ion batteries better. It's important for key parts like the electrolyte salt that helps the battery work efficiently.
  2. Hydrogen fluoride is super toxic and can cause serious harm on contact. Finding safer ways to handle fluorine is crucial for both workers and the environment.
  3. FluoRok, a new company, is working to make fluorination safer and more sustainable. They aim to provide a better way to create essential materials without the risks associated with traditional processes.
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Train Surgery

atomic14 • 692 implied HN points • 07 Jan 26
đź•ą Technology Batteries
  1. Four AA batteries were replaced with a single 18650 Li‑ion cell plus a charger/protection/boost module set to about 5.5 V, making the train rechargeable.
  2. A potentiometer was put in series with one speaker lead to act as a simple volume control, and a homemade knob was added so the control is accessible from outside.
  3. The conversion achieves rechargeable power and adjustable volume, but the drivetrain’s plastic gears still make loud mechanical clatter at low volume.

How Ukrainian Battlefield will Change Our Lives

Erik Examines • 268 implied HN points • 07 Feb 26
đź•ą Technology Batteries
  1. Mass combat use and mass production of drones and robots are accelerating robotics and AI development through rapid iteration and real-world feedback, which will spill over into civilian tech.
  2. Battlefield realities favor cheap, quickly produced, and expendable platforms over expensive, high-performance systems, making cost, speed of production, and ease of use the new priorities in warfare.
  3. Those military-driven advances will show up in everyday life as more drone delivery for critical supplies, robot dogs or wheeled bots for last-mile package drops, and greater robot automation inside factories and companies.

CROSSPOST: WILL LOCKETT: Musk’s Pathetic Robot Is Looking More And More Like Bad Vapourware

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 292 implied HN points • 15 Dec 25
đź•ą Technology Batteries
  1. Musk’s grand claims for the Optimus robot—mass production, huge productivity gains, and trillions in revenue—read more like hype than realistic projections. They aren’t backed by results so far.
  2. Videos and past admissions suggest many demos are remotely puppeteered or staged, making the robot appear less autonomous and more like an illusion. The mishaps and strange behavior look like operator control, not finished technology.
  3. Tesla’s core EV development looks stagnant and competitors are pulling ahead, so the company’s high valuation depends on speculative future products like the humanoid robot actually delivering. If those breakthroughs don’t happen, the valuation is at risk.

The Technological Revolution that could Supercharge the World's Batteries

Material World • 1783 implied HN points • 26 Jan 25
đź•ą Technology Batteries
  1. Silicon carbon batteries are exciting because they can store more energy and charge faster than regular graphite batteries. This means better battery life for smartphones and even electric cars.
  2. The challenge with silicon anodes is that they swell a lot when charging, which can damage the battery. Scientists are working to find ways to manage this problem.
  3. While silicon is promising, it's still a new technology and can be expensive. For now, it's often used alongside traditional materials to improve battery performance.

Dell Mega Leak Analysis

Irrational Analysis • 239 implied HN points • 15 May 24
đź•ą Technology Batteries
  1. The Dell leak suggests Qualcomm's upcoming laptop chips have a base-case gross-margin of 52%, significantly benefitting $QCOM while posing challenges for $INTC.
  2. Qualcomm is dominating Intel in Bill of Materials (BOM) cost, with Dell still saving money even before subsidies, showcasing the impact of the PMIC fiasco on Intel.
  3. Qualcomm's laptops are expected to offer nearly double the real-world battery life compared to Intel's, showcasing a major market advantage in terms of battery life and potentially leading to substantial market share gains.

Batteries light the way to renewable energy but the IEA is missing it

aukehoekstra • 139 implied HN points • 20 Jun 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Batteries
  1. Stationary batteries are becoming increasingly affordable, paving the way for a smooth transition to solar and wind energy while enhancing grid resilience.
  2. There's a disconnect between current grid management practices and the shift towards decentralized, renewables-powered grids with the aid of batteries.
  3. The International Energy Agency's predictions for battery growth and usage seem vastly inadequate and fail to align with historical data and future energy needs.

The best argument against electric vehicles are electric vehicles

Tilting At Windmills • 176 implied HN points • 23 Jan 24
đź•ą Technology Batteries
  1. Cold weather affects electric vehicles' performance, causing issues like dead batteries and long charging times.
  2. Investing in electric vehicles like buses can lead to costly repairs and maintenance, making them less viable than alternatives like biodiesel or hybrid buses.
  3. Pushing for widespread use of electric vehicles may not be practical due to their current limitations, despite government incentives to promote them.

January Round Up!

Intercalation Station • 39 implied HN points • 05 Feb 24
đź•ą Technology Batteries
  1. Differential scanning calorimetry is a useful tool in battery safety evaluation
  2. AMTE power in Scotland entered administration and was bought by LionVolt
  3. Big advancements in grid resilience with large battery replacing coal plant in Hawaii

Clean Tech Will Do Far More Than Stop Climate Change

Splitting Infinity • 39 implied HN points • 08 Dec 23
🔬 Science Batteries
  1. Clean technologies like renewable energy can reshape industries by providing cheap and abundant energy sources.
  2. Batteries can help with renewable energy intermittency, reduce reliance on the grid, and have a positive impact on human health by enabling electrified transportation.
  3. Desalination technologies have the potential to provide significant amounts of fresh water, support ecosystems, and even create new lush environments with the help of cheap solar energy.

How Batteries Work

Material World • 284 implied HN points • 23 May 23
🔬 Science Batteries
  1. Batteries store energy, they don't create it
  2. The inside of a battery is like a Swiss roll with electrodes and electrolyte
  3. Batteries work by moving lithium ions back and forth between electrodes

Fight to Repair Daily: Monday October 10 2022

Fight to Repair • 19 implied HN points • 10 Oct 22
đź•ą Technology Batteries
  1. Repairing electronics like headphones can be more cost-effective than replacing them, showcasing the importance of the right to repair legislation.
  2. Companies often destroy reusable storage devices like hard drives due to data security concerns, highlighting the need for better waste management practices.
  3. Legislation for right to repair in various industries, such as farm equipment and electronics, is gaining traction in different regions like Quebec and North Carolina.

Startup Dive: Sakuu

Intercalation Station • 19 implied HN points • 22 Mar 23
đź•ą Technology Batteries
  1. Sakuu, a startup, is merging with Plum Acquisition Corp. I in Q3 2023, making it the third SPAC this year.
  2. Sakuu, founded in 2017, has raised over $50m in funding and partnered with companies to develop 3D-printed batteries.
  3. 3D printing technology like Kavian by Sakuu is being used to manufacture solid-state batteries, with potential challenges and opportunities.

Dr. Vaku Power Bank: Don't Buy

Kartick’s Blog • 0 implied HN points • 22 Feb 26
đź•ą Technology Batteries
  1. The power bank frequently stops and restarts charging, making it unreliable for charging two devices at once or for uninterrupted use.
  2. It delivers less power than advertised (often only ~20W or 15W in practice), so it won’t keep a laptop running while you use it and can stress batteries.
  3. Pass-through charging can refill both a drained phone and the bank overnight but is very slow due to a 15W input limit, and the LED/color charge indicators are inconsistent and untrustworthy.

Interesting things in robotics this week - Issue #16

Robots & Startups • 0 implied HN points • 24 Jun 21
đź•ą Technology Batteries
  1. It's important for the public to have a say in the creation of autonomous robots for the agricultural sector.
  2. Reports directed by President Biden highlight vulnerabilities in supply chains for semiconductors, batteries, critical minerals, and pharmaceuticals.
  3. Consider subscribing to Robots & Startups for more insights and a 7-day free trial.

Interesting things about robotics - Issue #1

Robots & Startups • 0 implied HN points • 15 Mar 21
🔬 Science Batteries
  1. The electric vehicle industry faces challenges in improving battery technology and reducing costs. A new fabrication technique could enable safer lithium-ion batteries for cars.
  2. Solid-state automotive lithium-ion batteries could adopt nonflammable ceramic electrolytes utilizing existing production processes with the same efficiency as traditional liquid electrolytes.
  3. To access the full post archives and continue reading about robotics, subscribe to Robots & Startups for a 7-day free trial.

Fight to Repair Daily: August 1, 2022

Fight to Repair • 0 implied HN points • 01 Aug 22
đź•ą Technology Batteries
  1. Samsung has introduced 'repair mode' for its Galaxy smartphones in South Korea to aid technicians in fixing devices without accessing user data, enhancing customer data security.
  2. The rapid turnover of tech products due to planned obsolescence has led to a surge in electronic waste, urging consumers to consider repairing or upgrading devices before recycling.
  3. Electric vehicle batteries are outlasting cars, leading to delays in recycling programs but also presenting opportunities for second-life use before recycling.

Fast Chargers Everywhere Still Won’t Make EV Long Trips Practical

Kartick’s Blog • 0 implied HN points • 22 Feb 26
đź•ą Technology Batteries
  1. Even with fast chargers everywhere, long highway trips remain impractical because charging time adds a large extra delay — in the example it turned a 12.5‑hour drive into about 17.3 hours.
  2. The realistic fixes are limited and imperfect: drive fewer kilometers per day, wait for much longer‑range EVs, keep a petrol car for long trips, or use awkward relay/vehicle‑swap schemes.
  3. Given those trade-offs, EVs today are best suited for city use rather than extended road trips.