What are electric car batteries made of?

 What are electric car batteries made of?

Are electric car rentals something you're interested in? It's crucial to understand how this kind of vehicle operates and the components of electric car batteries, one of their most crucial components, if you wish to operate one.

Our intention is for you to learn about the kind of rental automobile you want before you sign your contract. For those who enjoy all things electric, we have previously covered themes like:

What are the more autonomous electric vehicles?

The least expensive electric vehicles

On this occasion, we'll discuss the advancement of battery components, one of the parts that makes operating electric vehicles make sense and that is always  important to keep it in good condition.

Go for it!

What purpose does an electric car's battery serve?

We'll discuss the purpose of this component before revealing the materials used to make an electric car's batteries.

As we already established, an electric car's battery is essential to its operation since it converts the energy generated during charging into chemical energy.

Batteries are made up of cells that are connected to each other and that work together to give the engine the energy the vehicle needs to circulate.

Depending on what the components of this part are , we can determine some important aspects of the vehicle such as:

The autonomy of the car.

The loading speed.

The weight and the design.

The price.

Battery types

The constant demands by users when purchasing an electric vehicle that meets their expectations and meets their needs, has led to different types of batteries that differ from each other in their composition materials.

Not all electric cars are the same and one of the factors that make the difference is the battery.

Next, we will analyze what the batteries of electric cars that exist on the market are made of.

Lithium batteries

They are the most widely used today as they offer users excellent weight, performance and lifespan characteristics.

One of its great advantages is that they do not have the dreaded memory effect , so vehicles with this type of battery allow a greater number of recharges without losing capacity.

Lead-acid

They are usually found in older models and have been clearly displaced by lithium batteries, thanks to the advantages that the latter offer. Its operation is based on the reaction of the lead plates with sulfuric acid.

Although it is true that lead-acid batteries require a lower initial investment , their maintenance is more complex, therefore, you will have to change it much faster.

One of the main problems that these types of batteries offer is that the charge is much slower than lithium batteries . For example, recharging this type of battery lasts 8 hours while lithium batteries will have a full charge in 1 hour.

They are usually very heavy, since energy efficiency is much lower than in the case of lithium batteries, which, with less space, manage to store less energy.

Nickel cadmium

They are hardly used anymore, since they are very expensive and have a memory effect, that is, the more times you charge the battery, the less capacity they have.

Lithium battery materials

As you have seen, they are the most used, below we will tell you which are their components of the positive pole or cathode that are the ones that make the price of electric cars more expensive.

Nickel: in recent years the use of this material has managed to reduce the use of cobalt.

Manganese: This material is used in the latest generation cars. It helps to take care of the battery and measure its potential when it is fully charged.

Cobalt: It is a rare and expensive material, which is why electric cars have a higher price . In this sense, it is being studied to reduce its percentage in the composition and, in this way, reduce the materials that make up this piece and, in the future, the costs can be lowered.

It is important to note that all these materials are recyclable. In fact, today between 55% and 77% of battery materials can be recovered after their useful life.

The ideal way to reduce costs is for these percentages to increase more and more and, in this way, be able to reduce the cost of batteries, one of the parts that most influence the price of an electric car.

Do you want to bet on an electric? The best thing is that you choose it in your next rental so you can see for yourself what the cars of the future will be like. If you need us to advise you, do not hesitate to contact us .

Batteries for electric vehicles and their characteristics, electric car batteries made of

Types of Electric Car BatteriesVarious Electric Car Battery Types

Batteries, also referred to as "accumulators," are one of the most crucial parts of an electric vehicle's system. The battery is the only "life" in a BEV vehicle. This is so that a BEV automobile can only be driven using electrical energy that is stored in the battery. no additional sources The kind of battery or batteries and their properties in an electric car also depend on the system of the vehicle. The lithium-ion battery is the most widely used type. ZEBRA is the acronym for batteries, which are thought to have zero emissions. NiMH batteries are the best kind of batteries for a hybrid vehicle. In addition to providing a quick explanation of the battery management system, this article will briefly describe the many types of battery technology for electric cars and their characteristics. (BMS).

Electric car batteries

Batteries for electric vehicles differ from SLI batteries ( starting , lightning and ignition ). SLI batteries are typically fitted in gasoline or diesel vehicles. This kind of battery for electric automobiles is made to be an energy storage device that can sustainably and over an extended length of time deliver electricity.

The following five electric vehicle batteries will be covered in this article:

Lead Acid (SLA), 

Nickel-Metal Hybrid (NiMH)

Lithium-Ion (Li-On) Ultracapacitor ZEBRA (Zero Emissions Batteries Research Activity)

The four batteries used in the first electric car were compared using the following characteristics:

Battery Types: Lithium-Ion (Li-On)

The Li-On battery is the most popular kind of battery for electric vehicles. We may be familiar with this battery because it is found in numerous pieces of portable technology, like laptops and cell phones. The fundamental distinction is one of scale. In electric vehicles, this physical capacity and size is significantly larger and is frequently referred to as a traction battery pack.

The power to weight ratio of lithium-ion batteries is extremely high. High energy efficiency is a feature of this kind of electric car battery. High temperature performance is also good. These batteries offer a higher energy-to-weight ratio, which is a crucial quality for batteries used in electric vehicles. The car can travel further on a given charge with a lighter battery (with the same kWH capacity).

These batteries are the greatest at maintaining their capacity to hold a full charge because they also have a low self-discharge rate.

For those who care about the environment and enjoy driving electric cars, Li-on batteries are an excellent option because the majority of their parts can be recycled. The most lithium batteries are used in BEV and PHEV vehicles.

Types of Li-on batteries

Iron Phosphate of Lithium (LiFePO4) — 

Lithium Nickel Cobalt Aluminum Oxide, abbreviated LFP (LiNiCoAlO2) — NCA

Oxide of Lithium Nickel Manganese and

Cobalt (LiNiMnCoO2) — 

Lithium titanate NMC (Li2TiO3) 

Lithium Manganese Oxide (LTO) (LiMn2O4) — 

Lithium Cobalt Oxide (LMO) (LiCoO2) LCO Li-ion battery specifications Parameters for lithium-ion batteries

Battery Type: Nickel-Metal Hybrid (NiMH)

Although they have been employed effectively in some BEV vehicles, NiMH batteries are primarily used in hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) vehicles. This particular hybrid electric vehicle battery does not receive external electricity (can be recharged from an outside source of the car system). The type of hybrid electric vehicle's battery recharge relies on the vehicle's wheels, engine speed, and regenerative braking.

Compared to SLA or lithium-ion batteries, NiMH batteries have a longer lifespan. NiMH batteries are secure and can withstand misuse. The main downsides of NiMH batteries are as follows:

The cost is comparatively higher.

high rate of self-discharge

produces a lot of heat when the temperature is high.

Due to these drawbacks, NiMH is less useful as a battery for electric vehicles whose batteries need to be recharged outside of the system, such as from the PLN network. Because of this, hybrid vehicles mostly utilise the types of batteries utilised in electric vehicles.

NiMH battery specifications and types of batteries for electric vehicles

Lithium-Ion Batteries (SLA)

The oldest rechargeable battery is the SLA (lead-acid) battery. Lead-acid batteries are more expensive and less safe than lithium and NiMH batteries, although they have a lower capacity and weigh more. Although a large-capacity SLA-type electric car battery is being developed, SLA batteries are now only employed as a secondary storage system by commercial cars.

Lead-acid battery specifications: SLA specifications 

Battery with Ultracapacitors

Ultracapacitor Battery Ultracapacitor batteries are not what most people think of when they think of batteries. This kind of ultracapacitor electric car battery really stores polarised liquid between the electrode and electrolyte, unlike other electrochemical batteries. The liquid's ability to store energy rises along with its surface area. Ultracapacitor batteries, like SLA batteries, are ideally suited as supplementary storage components in electric cars. This is so that the electrochemical battery's load level can be increased thanks to the ultracapacitor. Ultracapacitors can also give electric cars an extra boost of power during acceleration and regenerative braking.

ZEBRA Battery - electric car ZEBRA battery types -

The ZEBRA electric vehicle's battery was developed from the ZEBRA (formerly "Zeolite Battery Research Africa" before changing to the "Zero Emissions Batteries Research Activity") battery in 1985. It is a low-temperature variation of the sodium-sulfur (NaS) battery. ZEBRA batteries have been created for use in electric vehicle applications ever since they were first created. NaAlCl4 is used in the battery along with a ceramic Na + - beta alumina electrolyte.

Features of ZEBRA batteries

It is suitable as a sort of electric car battery because of its high power cell.

over 270°C, high temperature batteries are operational.

A nominal operating cell voltage of 2.58 Volts is provided by the chemical sodium nickel chloride (NaNiCl).

Positive aspects of ZEBRA batteries

high density of energy (5 times higher than SLA battery)

It is feasible thanks to large cells (up to 500Ah).

> 1000 rounds of cycle life

tolerance for short circuits

safer than cells made of sodium sulphur

The typical cell failure results in a short circuit but does not result in a total battery failure.

Lack of ZEBRA batteries and cheap materials

Only suitable for batteries with a large capacity (> 20 KWh)

small selection of sizes and capacities

This battery is only made at one factory in the entire world.

increased internal resistance

sodium ion liquid electrode

high temperature at operation.

The battery must be preheated to reach its operational temperature of 270°C (up to 24 hours from cold)

When not in use, it uses 14% of its own capacity each day to keep the temperature constant.

Thermal control is necessary.

System for managing batteries

A technology system called a battery management system, sometimes known as a BMS, works to maximise the battery life and other features of electric vehicles. All battery-powered electric vehicles should be outfitted with a BMS, which is highly advised. The intention is to maintain the battery within its ideal operating range. A single instance of overuse, such as overcharging, over-discharging, or overheating, can permanently harm lithium and NiMH battery chemistries, but some battery chemistries (such as lead acid) are very forgiving of mistreatment. The installation of a BMS will have a significant positive impact on all types of batteries for electric vehicles.

The battery management system has a variety of unique features, some of which are:

Charge balancing, which makes sure all cells are fully charged at once and then guards against overcharging-related damage.

Active balancing is used to make sure that all cells reach their point of maximum discharge simultaneously by moving energy from the stronger to the weaker cells.

Monitoring the temperature is necessary to prevent harm from overheating.

Low-voltage cut-off, a technique for isolating the battery when any cell reaches the minimum advised voltage and to stop over-discharging from damaging it.

In electric cars, the state of charge (SOC) of each battery cell is being tracked. The capacity of each cell can be determined by measuring the voltage and current.