Page 25 - MetalForming Magazine February 2023 - Metal Forming for the Automotive Industry

FAMOUS FIRSTS
How Electrification Fits into the Automotive-Development Timeline
Images courtesy of Kettering.com, IFCAR, Library of Congress, Sony Nissan Motor Corp., Chevrolet, Toyota
2019
American materials scientist John B. Goodenough, British-American chemist Michel S. Whittingham and Japanese chemist Akira Yoshino receive the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the development of lithium-ion batteries— representing the standard in current EV power technology
2021
The U.S. Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act becomes law, earmarking tens of billions of dollars for EV development and infrastructure
2022
The Inflation Reduction Act becomes U.S. law, including portions that incentivize EV adoption, convert the U.S. Postal Service to an EV fleet and spur alternative-fuel and electric advances in other municipal and service fleets
embargo led to regulatory efforts to explore vehicle-power alternatives. For example, the U.S. Congress passed the Elec- tric and Hybrid Vehicle Research, Development, and Demon- stration Act of 1976, authorizing the Energy Department to support R&D in electric and hybrid vehicles.
Even so, it wasn’t until major developments in battery technology during the 1970s and later that EVs began a sig- nificant climb back. Witness GM’s release of the experimental EV1 in 1996, with a mind-blowing 100-plus-mile range cour- tesy of nickel-metal hydride batteries. Introduction of the Toyota Prius followed.
By 2010, superior lithium-ion battery technology had taken hold, and Tesla had come online with its EV models boasting ranges of 200-plus miles between charges. Also, the hybrid Chevy Volt and all-electric Nissan Leaf entered commercial production.
Today, automakers worldwide have come onboard with hybrid and EV programs, and plan to continue this path. A new focus on environmentalism helps drive these efforts, as do new government investments in EV technology and
2010
The Chevy Volt, the first commercially available plug-in hybrid automobile, and the all-electric Nissan Leaf enter the U.S. market
2006
California startup Tesla announces its intention to produce a luxury electric car that could travel more than 200 mi. on a single charge
1997
In Japan, Toyota introduces the Prius, the world’s first mass-produced electric-hybrid light vehicle, followed by worldwide release in 2000
1996
GM produces and leases the EV1, the first mass-produced and purpose-designed modern-era EV, and continues to do so through 1999, before recalling leased vehicles and halting the program
1987
Japanese chemist Akira Yoshino patents
what would become the first commercial lithium-ion battery, with Sony beginning to produce and sell the battery in 1991
1977
British-American chemist Michel S. Whittingham receives a patent for his invention of the rechargeable lithium metal battery, and is considered the founding father of lithium-ion batteries
1976
The U.S. Congress passes the Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1976,
authorizing the Energy Department to support R&D in elec- tric and hybrid vehicles
1973
The Arab Oil Embargo and soaring gas prices spur renewed interest
in EV technology
1971-72
infrastructure. How will it all play out? We’ll see.
Charles Kettering intro- duces the electric starter, eliminating the need for hand cranking, which further solidifies dominance, along with price, of gas powered vehicles—in 1912 a Model T costs about $650, while an EV sells for $1750
1912
MF
NASA Apollo 15, 16 and 17 lunar missions each deploy a battery-powered Lunar Roving Vehicle on the moon, where they remain today Nickel-metal hydride batteries are invented at
Batelle-Geneva (Switzerland) Research Centre
1967
22 MetalForming/February 2023
www.metalformingmagazine.com