Electric car battery – function, alternatives, tips& recycling

There are different electric car batteries. We explain the advantages and disadvantages of the different variants and reveal tips for careful handling and a long service life.

Structure and function of a battery

Batteries consist of three components: cathode (negative pole), anode (positive pole) and electrolyte. The electrolytes lie between the poles and ensure that the ions move back and forth between the anode and cathode – depending on whether charging or discharging is taking place.

Battery or accumulator – which?

Have you ever wondered why electric cars are sometimes referred to as batteries and then again as accumulators, and which is correct?? The answer is: both! Every battery is a battery, but not every battery is also a battery. "battery" is the generic term for energy storage devices. If it can be recharged, it is not only a battery, but also a rechargeable battery. Since the car battery can be recharged, it is also an accumulator – namely a lead battery. For example, forklift trucks are also powered by such an electric car. However, it is no longer used to power a car because of its characteristics.

The battery is the most expensive component of an electric car, even though the cost of lithium-ion batteries has fallen by 80% in the last ten years. the more power the battery provides, the more expensive it is. In 2010, the cost was around 600€ per kilowatt hour. in 2017 it was only 170€/kwh and for 2020 experts expect it to fall below the 100€ mark.

Batteries with lithium: advantages, disadvantages, differences

Current electric cars are powered by batteries or. Batteries with less weight and higher power installed. These are the lithium-ion battery and the lithium-polymer battery. The advantages, such as high performance and long service life, are offset by disadvantages, such as high production costs and complex battery management. The advantage that lithium is very reactive also brings a high flammability, which must be prevented by the airtight enclosure of the cells. In addition, the conditions of raw material extraction are in part very questionable from a human rights and environmental perspective. Cobalt, for example, comes from primitive mines in the Congo, where mining is carried out without respect for human rights and with the use of child labor. It is precisely this area that is avoided as a source of supply by german automotive manufacturers. They rely on alternative suppliers from russia and australia.

Advantages of li-io and li-po batteries:

  • + High energy density
  • + long service life
  • + LOW WEIGHT

Disadvantages of li-io and li-po batteries:

  • high production costs
  • complex battery management
  • flammable
  • cooling required
  • questionable raw material extraction

Difference between lithium-ion and lithium-polymer batteries:

Lithium-polymer batteries (you will probably find one of these in your smartphone) are also lithium-ion batteries – with one crucial difference: the electrolyte liquid of the lithium-ion batteries is replaced by gel made from polymer plastic. Thus they can be built in almost any shape. They also have a higher energy density. However, the charge and temperature management is more complex.

Tips and tricks for conserving the battery and saving electricity

Since the battery is the most expensive component of an electric car, drivers of electric vehicles should keep a few things in mind to protect the battery and thus ensure the longest possible service life with high capacity.

What to consider when charging an electric car battery?

Optimally, the conservation of your e-car’s battery already begins during the charging process. You should not charge your electric car when the battery is empty (0%, deep discharge). Even a full charge to 100% is not advisable. These extreme charge levels put a lot of strain on the cells and reduce their service life. We recommend a battery level of between 20% and 80%. Once the battery of your electric car is fully charged, using the energy as quickly as possible helps to conserve the power storage unit.

Fast charging affects the life of the battery much more than so-called snore charging. In the latter case, charging is done with a maximum of 3.5 kwh (household socket). The charging process takes much longer, but the battery is supplied with new energy very gently. therefore, charge your electric car at low power if you do not need it again as soon as possible. Very practical for this are the apps offered by many manufacturers, which allow you to select the desired time and charge level. For example, 80% at 7 a.m. the next morning when you leave for work shortly after 7 a.m. Alternatively, some manufacturers offer a remote control with charge timer.

At low outside temperatures, it is also advisable to charge the battery as soon as possible after the journey, as it has not yet cooled down and is therefore less stressed.

Can I save the battery with my driving style??

With a moderate driving style, the battery’s service life can be maintained. The opposite is true when accelerating frequently or driving at full throttle for long periods of time. Even a combustion engine is excessively stressed by such driving maneuvers, but the effects are much greater in an electric car. The negative effects are even stronger at the beginning of the journey when the battery is still cold.

Extreme temperatures damage the battery?

Yes, both heat and freezing cold significantly reduce the capacity of the battery! In summer, your electric vehicle should not be left in the blazing sun. A shady parking space is therefore recommended in hot months. If the thermometer is approaching 0° celsius or even below, a protected parking space such as a garage is very advantageous.

Are long standing times problematic?

If an electric vehicle is left standing for a long time without being moved, there are a few things to keep in mind to ensure that the battery survives it undamaged. If the e-car is not used for several days, a dry, protected parking space and a medium battery charge is optimal. If the electric car is not going to be used for several months, a charge level of 60% is ideal. This should be checked every eight to ten weeks and refueled if necessary.

Does the battery need to be serviced??

To ensure smooth functionality over a long period of time, it is necessary that the battery is checked once a year by professionals. Since electric cars have considerably fewer wearing parts than gasoline or diesel vehicles, the car as a whole requires less maintenance. However, the most expensive component by far – the battery – should definitely be inspected annually. This must be carried out by automotive mechatronics engineers with appropriate additional training, as there is a risk of fatal electric shocks. During an inspection, it is not only the battery that is examined. The connection poles are also tested and cleaned for impurities and corrosion.

What are the possible alternatives for electric car batteries??

solid state battery – also called solid state battery

Since solid-state batteries do not contain liquid electrolytes, there are no risks such as leakage or fire. This in turn means that expenditure on protection and temperature management is no longer necessary. therefore they are not only lighter, but also less expensive. Currently, batteries with solid-state storage are not yet suitable for everyday use in electric cars because their charging time is far too long and they lose too much of their capacity after just a few charging cycles. The latter can be significantly improved by a new process, but this takes place at 700°C.

advantages and disadvantages of the solid state battery

  • + safe
  • + range
  • + no liquid, non-flammable
  • + no discharge
  • low current
  • lithium is also used here, the environmental aspect remains

Redox-flow battery – also called liquid battery, flow battery or wet cell

Redox is made up of the abbreviations for reduction (electron uptake) and oxidation (electron release). In contrast to the battery types described above, a redox-flow battery uses liquid electrolytes that flow in two independent circuits. they pass through a galvanic cell in the form of a membrane, which is used for the exchange of ions. more than 60 different redox-flow systems are known, but only a few of them are economically applicable. Although it combines many advantages, it requires the size of a garage to power a vehicle and is therefore not (yet) suitable as a power source for electric vehicles. Their application with the greatest potential is currently as a buffer battery for wind turbines.

Advantages and disadvantages of the redox-flow battery

  • + high efficiency
  • + high life expectancy
  • + safe
  • + environmentally friendly
  • + recyclable
  • very high weight
  • very large

Other batteries or. Batteries that use lithium as the anode use sulfur or oxygen as the cathode:

Lithium-sulfur battery

  • + less weight with the same energy density
  • + sulfur is cheap (u.A. waste product from the oil industry)
  • + less toxic than other cathode materials
  • too large
  • too short life

Lithium-oxygen battery

  • very expensive production
  • unresolved chemical reactions
  • high wear
  • corrosion
  • still at the very beginning of development> first results expected in 2030

Alternative batteries that do not require lithium, are also constantly being further developed. However, they still have too many decisive disadvantages to be used in electric vehicles:

Sodium-ion battery

  • + no cobalt needed
  • + sodium is particularly sustainable
  • very low energy density

Magnesium-sulfur battery

  • + very high storage density
  • + low weight
  • high wear
  • low energy efficiency
  • not long-lasting

Nickel-metal hybrid

  • + high energy density
  • + very robust
  • + very temperature resistant
  • + fast charging
  • + without toxic heavy metals
  • very high self-discharge rate
  • prone to memory effect
  • can only produce approx. Release half of the stored energy
  • low cell voltage (1.2 – 1.3 volts)

recycle electric car batteries

For electromobility to be as sustainable as possible, it is essential to recycle the batteries at the end of their life cycle. it is broken down into its individual modules. Their residual energy is used for the shredder, which chops the individual raw materials such as aluminum, lithium, cobalt and copper into dusty granules. The electrolyte liquid is evaporated and collected as a liquid to be used in the chemical industry. In this way, 96% of the battery modules are recycled and 40% of the CO2 footprint for the production of new batteries is saved.

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Christina Cherry
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