An electric vehicle (EV) battery state of charge (SOC) represents energy levels as a percentage. Analogous to an internal combustion engine (ICE) fuel gauge, SOC clearly indicates available energy that directly corresponds to the driving range. This article explains how SOC is calculated and explores the different methods used to determine these calculations. It also…

A digital battery passport provides easy access to structured, reliable, and complete information about the battery. This fresh initiative in the US lithium battery landscape aims to simplify consumers’ choice and use of batteries. The US government agencies are working on battery passport requirements, centralizing battery specifications and pertinent details, making it user-friendly for the…

When designing a battery into an EV, you must perform rigorous testing to understand a battery’s performance. Electric vehicles (EVs) accounted for 13% of global vehicle sales in 2022 and are forecasted to reach 30% of global vehicle sales by 2030. The industry needs to continue working on making EVs affordable to support this transition…

Battery testing enables vehicle manufacturers, owners, and researchers to make informed decisions, optimize vehicle performance, and enhance overall user experience. Demand for electric vehicles is amping up. Every one of these vehicles needs large batteries, and the industry is responding by building plants. Energy.gov forecasts that by 2030 electric vehicle battery manufacturing capacity in North…

In a video, EE World spoke with a power-supply applications engineer about why RV batteries use such high voltages and how to test them. Batteries are perhaps the most expensive component of an electric vehicle. Typically producing 800 V to 900 V, batteries deliver the power needed move the vehicle. Of course, EV batteries need…

Model-based systems engineering (MBSE) is comprehensive. The International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) defines MBSE as the “formalized application of modeling to support system requirements, design, analysis, verification, and validation activities beginning in the conceptual design phase and continuing throughout development and later life cycle phases.” It’s especially applicable to complex systems of systems like…

Li-ion batteries can store large amounts of energy, and they can support high rates of power delivery. They are the preferred energy storage technology for EVs and large battery energy storage systems (BESS). But if not properly managed, they can also present safety hazards. That makes functional safety a critical consideration when designing large Li-ion…

Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology is often touted as one key to a more sustainable energy infrastructure. Like other areas where technology strongly impinges on economic and social interactions, however, the reality is complex and nuanced. Battery chargers can be a particularly daunting technical problem when implementing V2G. The charger must be bidirectional and offer high efficiency.…

Liquid metal batteries are being developed primarily for battery energy storage system (BESS) systems but may find future applications in electric vehicles (EVs) and wearables and portable devices. The first commercial BESS using a liquid metal battery is expected to become operational soon, but the longer-term outlook for large-scale market penetration remains cloudy. The first…

There’s more variety available in power tool batteries than might be expected. Of course, various rechargeable Li chemistries dominate, and battery management systems (BMS) are critical, but there are also power tool batteries that can automatically switch their output voltage to suit the needs of specific tools; thermal management can be important for both chargers…