| None of that makes any sense. What are you using as the basis for those statements? I feel like I'm hearing doublespeak where down is up. NiMH infamously has HORRIBLE self discharge performance in comparison to pretty much any lithium chemistry. Multiple lithium chemistries outperform NiMH in low temperature performance. Even LFP which is generally not recommended for unregulated conditions below about -10 degree will function at reduced capacity at -40c. Nearly all chemistries, except maybe LMO, have superior high temperature performance. I also don't understand what you mean by more forgiving chemistry? Production yields? Modern lithium cell plants can easily do 80%+ Tolerance to production variations? Multiple lithium chemistries are just as tolerant. Fire/puncture resistance? Multiple lithium chemistries areas as safe or safer Voltaic efficiency/Energy Efficiency/etc? Lithium chemistries are SIGNIFICANTLY better Memory effect or reduced voltage? NIMH yes while lithium none Cycle life? Once again nearly every lithium chemistry is superior. Some even still have acceptable performance after an order of magnitude more cycles than a NiMH cell. At this point there is literally no reason someone would chose NiMH for a ground up design in a consumer vehicle other than cost ....seriously like none. Also yes Prius reliability is pretty good, but the reliability and performance of the NiMH battery packs were not even in the range for what would be acceptable in a commercially successful EV. At the time when commercial lithium batteries were $1000-$5000/kwh hour sure they were a fantastic compromise, but it's not even close now. If Tesla had started with NiMH they would have been dead meat right out of the gate. Gone out of business in a couple years at most. |
There are, for sure, a tons of great lithium chemistries in existence. But, outside of some very specific markets, they are not used in cars yet.