Leland Teschler • Executive Editor If you wandered around the Society of Automotive Engineers’ annual trade show earlier this year, you would have seen a number of ideas aimed at cutting power consumption in electric vehicles. One development in that category was from a company called BetterFrost. It devised a more energy efficient windshield defroster.…
What are alternatives to Li-ion batteries?
There are many alternatives to Li-ion batteries, including fuel cells, various types of supercapacitors, redox flow batteries, novel Li-based chemistries such as lithium-sulfur (LiS), and more. This FAQ focuses on alternative non-lithium rechargeable battery chemistries, including calcium-ion (Ca-ion), magnesium-ion (Mg-ion), sodium-ion (Na-ion), zinc-ion (Zn-ion), iron-air (Fe-air), and sodium-sulfur (NaS) that can be more readily integrated…
How fast can Li-on batteries be charged?
The speed at which a battery can be recharged is measured using the “C-rate,” where “C” is the battery’s capacity in mA or A. At a 1 C rate, a battery can be completely recharged in one hour. The speed of charge primarily depends on the voltage. For example: For small batteries used in portable…
Wireless distributed battery management system reduces EV wire harnessing
Marelli expands its range of battery management technologies for electric vehicles with a new state-of-the-art Wireless Distributed Battery Management System (wBMS). This technology eliminates the wired physical connections typically needed in other Battery Management systems (BMS) architectures, allowing for greater flexibility, increased efficiency, improved reliability, and reduced costs, all crucial aspects of electric vehicles. Marelli […]
Battery test system boosts safety, performance of electric vehicles
A new Battery Test System (BTS) for electric vehicle (EV) testing is designed to help tier-one suppliers and automakers adapt to the complexity and scale of EV battery testing through enhanced customization, automation, and connection of data across the entire battery test workflow to ensure performance and accelerate time to market. Batteries are at the…
Relays designed for higher reliability in isolated high-voltage environments
Building on more than two decades of experience developing new isolation manufacturing technologies and integrated circuits (ICs) for high-voltage systems, Texas Instruments introduced new portfolio of solid-state relays, including automotive-qualified isolated drivers and switches, that deliver industry-leading reliability to help make electric vehicles (EVs) safer. The new isolated solid-state relays also provide the smallest solution […]
What’s the status of EV charging connector standards?
Connectors for electric vehicle (EV) charging are both standardized and changing. On one level, EV charging connectors are standardized based on today’s technology limitations. There are standards in major regional markets, including North America, Japan, the European Union, and China. But current charging technologies are power limited. This FAQ begins with a review of EV […]
Li-ion batteries, Part 5: electrolytes
The electrolyte is often an underappreciated component in Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. They simply provide an electrical path between the anode and cathode that supports current (actually, ion) flow. But electrolytes are a key to battery performance, and advances in electrolyte chemistries are expected to be an important development leading to high-performance, safe, and low-cost Li-ions…
Li-ion batteries: building massless batteries
Battery cells, modules, and systems support many electronic, transportation, and energy applications. This article briefly reviews the operation of rechargeable batteries and looks at the energy storage value chain; it then presents common battery cell formats and how battery cells are assembled into modules and systems, reviews the development of multi-function structural battery packs, and…
Swappable solid-state battery prototype targets EV uses
What’s said to be the world’s first solid-state lithium ceramic battery prototype for two-wheel battery swapping has been jointly developed by Gogoro and ProLogium Technology, a global leader in solid state battery technology. “Gogoro is unveiling the world’s first solid state battery for two-wheel battery swapping because it’s imperative we take advantage of the latest…