A lithium-ion battery is the dominant battery type you’ll find in electric vehicles (EVs). Many EVs have adopted this battery after extensive research that has proved it’s the best battery. For starters, it’s a battery with the highest energy density. This feature benefits EVs since it means the vehicle has more energy in a relatively small battery pack, saving space and increasing efficiency.
What’s more, a lithium-ion battery provides a lot of power for its weight. Other battery types don’t have a comparable power-to-weight ratio. Because of this advantage, EVs with this battery accelerate faster and have a sportier performance.
However, lithium-ion batteries have some drawbacks. The drawbacks touch on safety, cost, and environmental impacts. Read on as we look at both sides of lithium-ion batteries and other battery types EVs depend on for energy.
Battery Demand for EVs Continues to Rise
Lithium-ion batteries for electric cars have shown that vehicles don’t need to burn fossil fuels for energy. A battery can provide as much energy as an internal combustion engine while producing no exhaust. Therefore, it provides clean energy to propel the vehicle.
Battery demand for EVs is on a steep rise because batteries are the new energy source for vehicles. And as EV sales soar to new heights, the battery demand increases even further.
Additionally, batteries for EVs increasingly become larger in terms of charge capacities and they now carry more energy than before. They provide a longer range, making EVs cover as much distance as conventional cars. As battery technology improves, so do the battery demands.
Governments also contribute to an increase in battery demand as they formulate policies that favor electric vehicles. The reasons for pushing for EVs are they don’t pollute the air and deplete finite energy sources like fossil fuels. As more automakers shift to EV production, they need more battery packs for their newly built fleet of EVs.
What Kind of Batteries Do EVs Use?
A battery pack is the energy reserve for electric vehicles (EVs). The bigger and better it is, the better the range of travel. However, EVs don’t use one type of battery technology for various reasons, with battery efficiency informing their decision for a particular battery technology.
Electric vehicles have two main battery technologies to exploit and provide cruising power.
Lithium-Ion Batteries
These batteries dominate the EV industry because they’re the best battery for electric vehicles (EVs). Almost every electric vehicle you see cruising past the street uses a lithium-ion battery pack. They dominate EVs because of their high energy density. A lithium-ion battery takes up a small space but supplies more energy, significantly increasing the range.
At the same time, these batteries provide a lot of power needed for faster accelerations. Many batteries with a comparable size don’t provide as much energy. It means lithium-ion batteries have a high power-to-weight ratio.
You’ll not replace your lithium-ion battery for the next 8 years or after traveling 100,000 miles. The durability of these batteries is another reason they dominate EVs. But more importantly, lithium-ion batteries retain charge better and lose very little charge.
However, this battery is more expensive and will drive your vehicle’s sticker price higher. Even worse, mining lithium metal wastes a lot of water and is energy-intensive.
Variants of Lithium-Ion Batteries
All lithium-ion batteries depend on lithium oxide, making lithium metal mining essential for battery production. The anode comprises graphite and stores lithium ions, while the cathode comprises lithium oxide.
A separator keeps the electrodes (anode and cathode) apart while allowing lithium ions to move through. Also, these batteries have an electrolyte comprising lithium salt to transport ions between the electrodes.
Lithium-ion batteries come in various types that include:
- Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (NMC)
- Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP)
- Lithium-Ion Polymer (Li-Ion Polymer)
Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH) Batteries
These batteries are a popular choice for hybrids. First, they’re more affordable than lithium-ion and are more available for hybrid vehicles. But more importantly, these batteries are easier to charge and handle charging and discharging cycles better than any battery.
Lead-Acid Batteries
You only find this technology in conventional cars. These batteries provide a short burst of high energy that starts the gasoline engine.
Ultracapacitors
These batteries are essential for EVs since they absorb energy from regenerative braking. During acceleration or uphill driving when the motor demands a power surge, the ultracapacitors discharge rapidly to provide the power boost. They ease demand from the main lithium-ion battery pack, extending your EV battery’s life.
All-Electric Vehicles
All-electric vehicles are cars that depend on battery energy only for propulsion. For this reason, many people also call them Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs). Since lithium-ion is the best battery technology, battery electric vehicles use this technology for propulsion. However, you’ll plug a charger into your all-electric vehicle to boost its battery power.
Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs)
These vehicles have a battery pack in addition to an internal combustion engine. The engine works like it does in any conventional car. As it drives the car, it generates electricity that charges the battery pack. Think of HEVs as self-charging vehicles. They mainly rely on Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH) batteries that charge easily.
Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs)
These vehicles work exactly as any hybrid but don’t self-charge. You’ll take your vehicle to a charging station and plug in a charger to boost its battery power. Since they require external charging, they rely on more powerful lithium-ion batteries for electric propulsion. Hybrids and plug-in hybrids balance energy efficiency with range.
Why Are Lithium-ion Batteries Used in EVs?
Electric vehicle automakers have realized the advantages of lithium-ion batteries over other battery technologies. They’ve maximized these benefits and made EVs comparable in performance and range to conventional cars:
High Energy Density
Lithium-ion batteries can carry more charge in the same space as other batteries. If you place lithium-ion and nickel-metal hydride batteries of the same size side by side, lithium-ion easily outshines its counterpart since it carries more charge. It means lithium-ion batteries pack more energy in a small size, giving EVs better range while saving precious space.
Excellent Power Output
Aside from storing more power in less space, lithium-ion batteries supply more energy if needed. Batteries of the same size don’t match this power output, making these batteries more powerful. If you want your vehicle to accelerate fast, install a lithium-ion battery; it conveniently provides the energy required for fast acceleration.
Long Lifespan
Lithium-ion batteries also boast the best lifespan; that’s why many EV companies prioritize them over other batteries. Your vehicle with a built-in lithium-ion battery pack travels 100,000 miles before you can think of replacing its battery pack. During a lifespan of 8 years, the battery pack holds sufficient charge to cover the distance of your journey.
Low Self-Discharge
Once you’ve charged any battery, it loses some of its charge. Internal chemical reactions and temperature are factors that cause self-discharge. What’s impressive is that lithium-ion batteries don’t lose as much charge as other batteries. Therefore, they always pack enough energy for your journey.
Even though lithium-ion batteries have some benefits that make them a great choice for EVs, they also have a few drawbacks.
Expensive Production Costs
Mining Lithium, cobalt, and nickel metals to make a lithium-ion battery is a very expensive activity. The fluctuating prices of these metals can make mining even more expensive. What’s more, the manufacturing process requires heavy investment in sophisticated equipment. These factors make the lithium-ion battery price tag higher.
Safety Concerns
The chemical reaction inside the battery can yield more heat and cause serious damage to your vehicle or risk your safety. If the chemical reaction is unmanaged, it can lead to thermal runaway, which could potentially explode the battery.
Temperature Sensitivity
Extreme temperatures affect the battery performance. If the temperature is very hot, the battery electrolyte breaks down and reduces lithium ion movements between the electrodes. The battery then produces less energy.
Extreme cold also affects lithium-ion batteries; it reduces chemical reactions in the battery pack resulting in slugging energy supply.
Environmental Impacts
Mining activities destroy the natural habitats of animals, to begin with. What’s more, mining lithium metal is energy intensive and miners rely on gas-powered generators, especially in remote areas, for energy demands. These generators put carbon into the air and increase atmospheric temperature. A lot of water is also essential to cool the mining rigs, leading to drawing more water and even depleting this natural resource.
How Do Lithium-Ion Batteries Work?
Lithium-ion batteries work differently when they charge and discharge. If you plug a charger into your EV, you refill the battery power. During this phase, current flows into the battery and causes lithium ions to move from the cathode to the anode.
The ions move through a separator between the two electrodes (cathode and anode) in a chemical solution (electrolyte). As ions attach to the anode, they reunite with electrons. It’s this reunion that makes the battery hold more charge (you can say the battery is now charged).
When you unplug the charger, other components such as the infotainment drain battery power. At this point, the battery is discharging. If anything connects to the battery and is using power, lithium ions move from anode to cathode through the separator in an electrolyte.
Electrons remain behind in the anode. The anode then generates a negative current that powers your vehicle or any connected device.
Conclusion
A lithium-ion battery is the best option for electric vehicles because it carries more charge in a small package. It also supplies more power required to accelerate fast or cruise uphill. It also retains charge pretty decently and will have most of its charge after leaving it parked in your garage for some time. All-electric vehicles use lithium-ion batteries for these benefits.
However, this battery has a high energy capacity and only an external charger can boost its power. That’s why you only find it in all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Normal hybrids use nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) batteries that easily charge from a vehicle’s engine power.
As battery technology improves, lithium-ion batteries boast improved charge capacity and range. Soon, they’ll take a few minutes to charge and travel the same distance as conventional cars. Therefore, the future of Evs looks somewhat bright. Buy an electric vehicle and reduce air pollution and dependency on finite energy sources.
