An electric vehicle battery, also known as an EVB, is a type of battery that powers the motors of an EV or HEV. Typically, these batteries can be rechargeable and fall under the category of lithium-ion batteries. Basically, these units offer a lot of capacity and provide a lot of energy per hour. Let’s find out how these batteries are used in today’s electric vehicles.
There is a difference between ignition, lighting and starting batteries. Actually, the role of these units is to provide power over a long period of time. In other words, they are deep cycle units.
Those designed for EVS boast a high power-to-weight ratio and density. Plus, they’re lightweight, so they can help improve an EV’s performance. Unlike liquid fuels, other technologies have relatively lower levels of specific energy. This often has a significant impact on the range of these vehicles.
In today’s electric vehicles, the most common type of battery is the lithium-ion battery. They offer a higher energy density for their weight. Some other types include sodium, nickel-cadmium, nickel-metal hydride, and lead-acid.
The electrical charge of these batteries is measured in amp-hours. Total energy is often displayed in kilowatt-hours.
Since the 1990s, advances in this technology have occurred due to the increasing demand for power tools, mobile phones, laptops, and other portable electronic devices. Additionally, HEVs and BEVs have enjoyed the benefits of these advances in energy density and performance.
Unlike nickel-cadmium, lithium-ion batteries are designed to be recharged daily, regardless of state of charge. At the end of 2019, the cost of electric vehicle batteries was reduced by 87%. In 2018, Tesla electric vehicles had a range of 400 km on a single charge.
When it comes to operating costs, the cost of electricity is a fraction of the cost of fuel. Therefore, these batteries can help save tons of money.
Initially, lithium-ion batteries were manufactured and marketed for use in a wide variety of consumer electronics and laptop computers. Since they come with a high energy density and a much longer lifespan, they are called the best type of battery for electric vehicles.
The disadvantage of the conventional lithium-ion type was high/low temperature sensitivity and performance degradation. Since organic electrolytes are volatile, oxidized metal oxides make the battery prone to fire, especially if improperly charged or punctured.
Early technology did not provide charging in cold climates, which is why heaters were needed to heat these cells.
In short, this was a brief introduction to lithium ion batteries designed for electric vehicles. I hope this helps.
