The somewhat improved version of that battery, the sodium nickel
chloride battery (better known as the ZEBRA battery) and its nearly
identical cousin, the sodium iron chloride battery, are roughly equal
to the best of the safe lithium batteries of today in terms of
durability and long life, safety, and energy density (120 WH/KG for
the nickel chloride version and 109 WH/KG for the iron chloride
version, although the theoretical energy densities are far higher, so
there is still room for improvement). By the way, this battery is
*not* experimental: for more than two years 2-9 ton delivery vans from
Smith Electric and Modec in England powered by ZEBRA batteries have
been rolling off the production lines.

But both batteries are far superior to all other batteries in terms of
all-weather operation and are virtually unaffected by the most extreme
climates anywhere on earth, and in mass production would be radically
less expensive: about $120/KWH and less than $100/KWH for the two
batteries, respectively. This compares with about $330/KWH for the
lowest projected cost I have seen for mass produced safe lithium
batteries.

And the sodium iron chloride battery is far superior to all of other
batteries in terms of resource availability and environmental and
political friendliness: it is mainly composed of a large amount of
salt and a moderate amount of iron, has no toxic material, and the
resources are abundant nearly everywhere, unlike lithium which is
concentrated in a few 3rd world countries and where there is not
enough economically available lithium for the world’s current
automotive fleet, let alone the future.

The disadvantages of these batteries, lower power density which
controls acceleration, the current lack of ultra-rapid charging, and
the desirability of plugging it in a least once/week to avoid
freezing, are either easily overcome or tolerable.

Why the world’s automotive industry continues to pour all its efforts
in batteries that are 3-4 time more expensive, and whose resource
supply is unsustainable, is a major mystery to me.

— Larry

Half-a-dozen EV makers plan to sell highway-capable EVs for $25,000 or less within the next few years. Mechanically quite simple, EVs will eventually sell for less than equivalent gas-burners; EVs also need far less maintenance and cost much less to fuel.

How is someone with low to middle/moderate income supposed to afford one?

Let’s put this in perspective. Most middle to lower income families rely on a 10+ year old vehicle with well over 100,000 miles. If it was an EV vehicle that means they would have to pay for a new battery pack, which at best would cost $2000 to $5000 (future dreams of low battery costs). The vehicles these people drive are not even worth that much. There is no way they can afford to replace those batteries. Some say we can “lease” the batteries to help with costs. When someone doesn’t have the credit or income to purchase a new(er) vehicle, they don’t have the credit or income to lease batteries.