When it comes to charging your Electric vehicle, your battery will play a crucial role in ensuring that you get the most out of your vehicle. However, you must keep in mind a few important tips to ensure the longevity of your battery. Leaving it at a 100% level can result in a lower effective charge capacity and even the death of the lithium-ion cells. Moreover, this will affect the battery’s warranty margin by as much as 70%. This is why it is crucial to properly maintain your EV car battery and avoid overcharging it.
Electric vehicle (EV) battery
When an EV battery is charged, lithium ions move from the carbon-based anode to the electrolyte. The electrolyte is an organic compound made up of lithium salts. Lithium-ion batteries are prone to leakage. External forces like a road accident or the battery breaking can cause chemical leakage. Besides, the separator, which separates the cathode from the anode, can break. This can lead to a short circuit.
Companies like SK Innovations Co. Ltd. are leading the charge-cell market. The South Korean company has built two battery factories in Georgia. LG Chem and General Motors have invested USD 2.3 billion in a battery plant in Tennessee. This plant will support production of GM’s Cadillac Lyriq crossover. Another Chinese company, SVOLT Energy, has announced plans to build a lithium-ion cell Gigafactory in Saarlouis, Germany.
Lithium-sulfur chemistry
The Lithium-sulfur chemistry in an EV car battery has potential for improved energy storage. The abundant sulfur in the environment is easier to access than lithium. The new chemistry may offer several times the energy capacity of lithium-ion batteries. The sulfur may be converted to polysulfides, which may improve battery performance. But the future of EV car batteries depends on the success of this new chemistry.
The use of sulfur in batteries is highly desirable because it is environmentally friendly. Unlike lithium-ion batteries, sulfur is much cheaper to produce, and it is easier to recycle than lithium. It also has the potential to improve battery performance in EVs and mobile devices. Researchers at Drexel University found that a combination of sulfur and lithium improves the performance of the batteries. But despite these advantages, it has numerous drawbacks.
Lead-acid chemistry
The Lead-Acid chemistry of an EV car battery is based on the principle that the charge stored in a battery decreases with the rate at which it is discharged. This principle, known as Peukert’s law, describes the chemistry of a battery’s capacity. Charge stored in a lead-acid battery is stored in its chemical reaction products, located at the electrode-electrolyte interface. The diffusion of these chemicals spreads the charge stored in the electrode-electrolyte interface.
The lead-acid chemistry of an EV car battery is largely unchanged from that of a standard automotive battery. The electrolyte loses much of its sulfuric acid and becomes primarily water. The lead electrode gains a negative charge due to the release of two conduction electrons. The remaining electrons accumulate to form an electric field, which attracts hydrogen ions and repels sulfate ions.
NiMH chemistry
The latest developments in the NiMH chemistry of ev car battery technology have made it possible for manufacturers to produce a more efficient battery. The NiMH chemistry has several advantages over other batteries. Its flexibility in vehicle packaging, easy application to parallel and series strings, and fast charging speed are all great reasons to choose a NiMH battery. Moreover, its recyclable and environmental-friendly materials make it a smart choice for ev car batteries.
A key advantage of NiMH batteries is that they can withstand extreme temperatures better than lithium-ion batteries. AWD Prius hybrid cars, for instance, use these batteries to provide better traction. Currently, the chemistry of Li-ion batteries is under development to improve its performance in hot climates. However, this is still not an entirely convincing argument for using this chemistry in battery electric vehicles.
NiCd chemistry
The chemistry behind an electric vehicle battery relies on nickel-cadmium ions, which are present in the form of oxides. These metals form a complex chemical compound. The result is a type of battery that has a high energy density and power capacity, but also a high self-discharge rate. Because of these advantages, Ni-Cd batteries are preferred over non-LSD Ni-MH batteries in many applications. For example, Ni-Cd batteries have a higher discharge rate and a lower internal resistance, while their asymmetric structure allows them to support total discharges. Moreover, Ni-Cd batteries do not produce any toxic fumes when discharged.
The downside of the NiCd chemistry is that it is expensive, with costs approaching $1000/kWh. Furthermore, it contains cadmium and nickel, two heavy metals that are extremely toxic. As such, care must be taken when choosing a Ni-Cd battery. The main disadvantages of Ni-Cd batteries are their high cost and memory effect. This means that they are not yet the most viable solution for an electric vehicle battery.