American and European companies are racing to develop new batteries for electric vehicles using two readily available and less costly materials: sodium and sulfur. The new batteries could help bring more electric vehicles, or EVs, to the market and reduce China’s lead in battery production. Today's EVs run on lithium-ion batteries which cost about $10,000 to $12,000 to make. They are mostly made with lithium, cobalt, manganese and nickel. And the materials have increased in price during the last two years. The new batteries under development could cost one-third to two-thirds less. But their promise depends on overcoming difficulties in working with the materials. Sodium does not hold as much energy, while sulfur can easily damage key parts of a battery. Still, companies have brought in millions of dollars and government support to develop new kinds of batteries - called sodium-ion or lithium-sulfur.
Title: Firms Race to Develop Less Costly Batteries for Electric Vehicles
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5715/A21.wav' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='Firms Race to Develop Less Costly Batteries for Electric Vehicles' data-article-id='6286'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='20188'>American and European companies are racing to develop new batteries for electric vehicles using two readily available and less costly materials: sodium and sulfur.</span> <span data-start-time='20188' data-end-time='35250'>The new batteries could help bring more electric vehicles, or EVs, to the market and reduce China’s lead in battery production.</span> <span data-start-time='35250' data-end-time='47042'>Today's EVs run on lithium-ion batteries which cost about $10,000 to $12,000 to make. </span> <span data-start-time='47042' data-end-time='56021'>They are mostly made with lithium, cobalt, manganese and nickel. </span> <span data-start-time='56021' data-end-time='63521'>And the materials have increased in price during the last two years.</span> <span data-start-time='63521' data-end-time='71708'>The new batteries under development could cost one-third to two-thirds less. </span> <span data-start-time='71708' data-end-time='81563'>But their promise depends on overcoming difficulties in working with the materials. </span> <span data-start-time='81563' data-end-time='90979'>Sodium does not hold as much energy, while sulfur can easily damage key parts of a battery.</span> <span data-start-time='90979' data-end-time='107708'>Still, companies have brought in millions of dollars and government support to develop new kinds of batteries - called sodium-ion or lithium-sulfur.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5715/A21.jpeg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=19027 data-hint-location='90979' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5715/which_of_the_following_is_a_definition_of_the_word_develop.wav'>Which of the following is a definition of the word develop?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='to create or produce especially by deliberate effort over time'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5715/to_create_or_produce_especially_by_deliberate_effort_over_time.wav'><span>to create or produce especially by deliberate effort over time</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5715/to_enclose_or_enfold_completely_with_or_as_if_with_a_covering.wav'><span>to enclose or enfold completely with or as if with a covering</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5715/to_run_away_secretly_with_the_intention_of_getting_married_usually_without_parental_consent.wav'><span>to run away secretly with the intention of getting married usually without parental consent</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5715/to_draw_or_pull_slowly_or_heavily.wav'><span>to draw or pull slowly or heavily</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=19028 data-hint-location='20188' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5715/which_country_leads_in_battery_production.wav'>Which country leads in battery production?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='China'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5715/china.wav'><span>China</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5715/japan.wav'><span>Japan</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5715/poland.wav'><span>Poland</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5715/the_united_states.wav'><span>The United States</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=19029 data-hint-location='63521' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5715/the_new_batteries_under_development_could_cost_onethird_to_twothirds__blank__.wav'>The new batteries under development could cost one-third to two-thirds <span class='blank'>less</span>. </div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='less'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5715/press.wav'><span>press</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5715/less.wav'><span>less</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5715/lass.wav'><span>lass</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5715/mess.wav'><span>mess</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button class='hint-button'></button><button class='speak-button'></button></div></div></div>
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