Ferrari and BMW are rolling out new models featuring lightweight, cost-effective aluminium wiring, accelerating a shift away from copper, the dominant material in electric wiring since the invention of the electric ​battery two centuries ago.

        • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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          2 days ago

          that’s gonna set the whole car on fire

          Let me know when you start seeing Ferraris burst into flames. Because that’ll be an entertaining display.

          • SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world
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            2 days ago

            The Teslas and Chinese cheapos are gonna be the first to go.

            Anyway, here’s a picture of a Ferrari on fire

            • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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              2 days ago

              The Teslas and Chinese cheapos

              Wasn’t there just a big scandal at Ford over relying on AI to manufacture vehicles and ending up with a bunch of defects?

              Anyway, here’s a picture of a Ferrari on fire

              ❤️ 😁 💕

    • Pennomi@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      Aluminum wiring is totally fine, it just needs to be thicker. It’s still lighter weight and cheaper - probably a big win to be honest.

      • SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        It expands and contracts and oxidizes far more readily than copper. I don’t trust corner-cutters to engineer around these potential hazards. We’re gonna see these Teslas light up like fireworks in a few years.

        • Dave.@aussie.zone
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          2 days ago

          If it’s for general vehicle wiring it’ll be mayhem.

          If it’s chunky busbars and such in the battery modules and drive motors… maybe not so much.

      • DoubleDongle@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        Not really. It’s much more chemically reactive and less springy than copper, and more prone to fatigue. I’ve heard the newer alloys address this problem at least partially, but it was banned from most residential wiring applications for good reasons after a lot of houses burned down.