Deadlinenews.co.uk reports:The dream of an electric car outside every home is a step closer to reality – thanks to a defence firm based in Fife.
A new £3.5m facility will turn a material from meteorites into a substance that could dramatically extend the range of electric cars.
Most current models run out of power after 100 miles or so but scientists based in Glenrothes, Fife, may be able to extend that by hundreds of miles.
If successful, motorists are likely finally to give up on their diesel and petrol cars and buy electric vehicles.
Raytheon, a leading supplier of defence equipment and training to the military, is opening a foundry at its Glenrothes factory.
They will be working with silicon carbide, a material that can be found in meteorites.
The foundry will heat the silicon carbide to up to 400 celsius.
The result, the team hope, is a material that can be used in engines without the need for heavy cooling systems.
And that means the range of an electric car could be significantly extended. The technology could also be applied to jet engines, saving on fuel bills.
Power
Raytheon hope the technology will be ready for use in as little as five years.
Neil MacTavish, business development executive with the company, said: “Electric cars will be able to handle more power, operate at a higher power and at higher temperatures.
“There would be no need for the heavy cooling system that currently exists.
“The electric car would weigh less, and this could make the batteries last longer.
“The product is in the development stages, but we would hope to see this material appear in electric cars in five years.”
