Isikhulu esiphezulu seTesla u-Elon Musk uthe ocingweni lwemali engenayo: “Uma umba i-nickel ngendlela ephumelelayo nezwela imvelo, iTesla izokunikeza inkontileka enkulu.” Umhlaziyi waseMelika uWood Mackenzie ubikezela ukuthi kungakapheli iminyaka eyishumi, i-lithium iron phosphate (LFP) izothatha indawo ye-lithium manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) njengendawo yokugcina amandla eyisisekelo.

Kodwa-ke, uMusk usesekele isikhathi eside ukususwa kwe-cobalt ebhethrini, ngakho-ke mhlawumbe lezi zindaba azimbi kuye.

Ngokusho kwedatha kaWood Mackenzie, amabhethri e-lithium iron phosphate (LFP) abalelwa ku-10% wemakethe yokugcina amandla engashintshi ngo-2015. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, ukuthandwa kwawo kukhuphuke kakhulu futhi kuzothatha ngaphezu kuka-30% wemakethe ngo-2030.

Lokhu kwanda kwaqala ngenxa yokuntuleka kwamabhethri e-NMC nezingxenye zawo ekupheleni kuka-2018 nasekuqaleni konyaka odlule. Njengoba kokubili isitoreji samandla esimile kanye nezimoto zikagesi (ev) zibhekane nokusetshenziswa okusheshayo, iqiniso lokuthi le mikhakha emibili yabelana ngamakhemikhali amabhethri liye labangela ukushoda ngokungenakugwenywa.

Umhlaziyi omkhulu weWood Mackenzie uMitalee Gupta uthe: "Ngenxa yomjikelezo wokuphakelwa kwe-NMC owengeziwe kanye nentengo engaguquki, abahlinzeki be-LFP sebeqalile ukungena emakethe enqunyelwe yi-NMC ngentengo encintisanayo, ngakho-ke i-LFP iyakhanga kokubili ekusetshenzisweni kwamandla kanye namandla."

Esinye isici esiqhuba ukubusa okulindelekile kwe-LFP kuzoba umehluko phakathi kohlobo lwebhethri elisetshenziselwa ukugcina amandla kanye nohlobo lwebhethri elisetshenziswa ezimotweni zikagesi, njengoba imishini izothinteka ukusungula izinto ezintsha kanye nokuchwephesha okwengeziwe.

Uhlelo lwamanje lokugcina amandla lwe-lithium-ion lunezinzuzo ezinciphayo kanye nezinzuzo ezimbi kwezomnotho lapho umjikelezo udlula amahora angu-4-6, ngakho-ke ukugcina amandla isikhathi eside kuyadingeka ngokushesha. UGupta uthe ulindele nokuthi amandla aphezulu okutakula kanye nemvamisa ephezulu kuzothatha indawo yokuqala ngaphezu kobuningi bamandla kanye nokuthembeka kwemakethe yokugcina amandla engashintshi, kokubili okungakhanya amabhethri e-LFP.

Nakuba ukukhula kwe-LFP emakethe yamabhethri ezimoto zikagesi kungekukhulu njengasemkhakheni wokugcina amandla angasebenzi, umbiko we-Wood Mackenzie ukhombe ukuthi izinhlelo zokusebenza zeselula ze-elekthronikhi ezine-lithium iron phosphate azinakwa.

Leli khemikhali selivele lidumile kakhulu emakethe yezimoto zikagesi zaseShayina futhi kulindeleke ukuthi lithole ukuthandwa emhlabeni wonke. I-WoodMac ibikezela ukuthi ngo-2025, i-LFP izoba ngaphezu kuka-20% wamabhethri ezimoto zikagesi afakiwe.

Umhlaziyi wocwaningo omkhulu uWood Mackenzie uMilan Thakore uthe amandla amakhulu okusebenzisa i-LFP emkhakheni wezimoto zikagesi azovela ekuthuthukisweni kwento yamakhemikhali maqondana nobuningi bamandla esisindo kanye nobuchwepheshe bokupakisha amabhethri.