Stanford researchers are collaborating to address greenhouse gas emissions and pollution from lead acid batteries often found in three-wheeled electric vehicles. Images created by Zach Shahan using DALL·Erealized he needed help from an unlikely source. Luby worried about the rapid conversion of Bangladesh’s ubiquitous three-wheeled vehicles from natural gas to more affordable lead-acid batteries.
Plambeck and Luby soon started working with Amrita Kundu and Moogdho Mahzab, Stanford postdoctoral scholars with deep understanding of the region.
Increasingly higher prices have led to a shortage of natural gas in Bangladesh. As a result, the country’s energy minister wants to convert three-wheeled vehicles, used for about 200 million rides per day, from natural gas to battery electric power. High import taxes on imported batteries and growth in home solar energy systems dependent on battery storage have also contributed to a booming industry in batteries and battery recycling.