What’s the most noticeable difference between electric and gas-powered vehicles? Electric vehicles use batteries rather than petrol or diesel fuel. But do you really know what Electric Vehicle batteries are? Here’s the answer.
EV sales are steadily growing as more drivers are attracted to their impressive technology, low maintenance costs, and government subsidies. However, there are questions about electric vehicles and their batteries that Australian drivers have. Here are some answers to your questions about electric vehicles.
What type of batteries do EVs use?
A modern electric vehicle’s battery system has evolved considerably from the lead-acid batteries it originally used. EVs now use dozens of single cells stacked together to form one large battery under the chassis in a form known as a “skateboard” battery arrangement.
- Lithium-ion batteries power most modern electric vehicles (EVs)
- while nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) batteries power most hybrids.
- Solid state batteries are also being developed by many automakers.
What is a lithium-ion EV battery?
There are many differences between lithium-ion electric vehicle batteries and those you use in your mobile phone. Despite their high reliability, lithium-ion batteries are expensive to produce. They recharge quickly, maintain power for long periods of time, provide consistent voltage, and are resilient to moderate temperature fluctuations.
Charge and discharge of lithium-ion batteries can be affected by extreme temperatures, and leaving lithium-ion batteries fully charged or discharged for an extended period can cause the batteries to prematurely fail.
sodium-ion batteries are an other famous type of ev battery. Here is the comparison between lithium-ion vs sodium-ion batteries.
What is a nickel-metal hydride EV battery?
There are a number of plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) that use nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) batteries. While NiMH batteries are long-lasting, durable, and compact, they also have a smaller capacity (driving range) than lithium-ion batteries. Because PHEVs use an internal combustion engine (ICE) for longer journeys, they do not require a large battery capacity.
However, they do need a long lifespan, since hybrid vehicles cycle the battery from full to empty (and back again) every few miles.
What is a solid-state EV battery?
The use of solid-state batteries has gained ground in recent years, and some automakers are investing in this technology, since these batteries are more compact and require less cooling.
However, lithium-ion batteries remain the most popular choice for large-scale battery production since they use a solid electrolyte instead of a liquid or polymer gel electrolyte.
How do EV batteries work?
It is the combustion of petrol or diesel that powers ICE vehicles, whereas electric vehicles are powered exclusively by their batteries.
When you charge a lithium-ion electric vehicle battery, electrons move from one electrode to another, causing chemical changes in the battery. A lithium-ion EV battery needs to be charged with an external power source, such as a laptop or mobile phone. As you drive, the battery discharges by moving electrons in the other direction, which produces an electric current.
What is the lifespan of an EV battery?
According to the warranty provided by the manufacturer, an electric vehicle battery has a minimum life expectancy of eight years. The battery warranty provided by most car manufacturers is usually eight years, but EV batteries can be expected to last over 10 years, although their capacity will decrease over time.
Listed below are some of the most popular EVs in Australia, along with a breakdown of their battery warranties:
- GWM Ora – 8 years or 100,000km
- BYD Atto 3 – 8 years or 160,000km
- MG4 – 7 years or unlimited mileage
- Tesla Model Y – 8 years or 192,000km
- Tesla Model 3 – 8 years or 192,000km
Are EV batteries safe?
Electric vehicle batteries are very safe today. EVs are tested by safety experts such as ANCAP before they are released to the public, and car manufacturers are required to adhere to safety regulations. As a matter of fact, lithium-ion EV batteries are much safer than ICE cars, which burn flammable gasoline or diesel for many miles.
It is extremely unlikely you will ever need to call 000 in case of a lithium-ion battery fire. You should never attempt to extinguish your own lithium-ion battery fire.
What does an EV battery’s capacity mean?
The battery capacity of an electric vehicle is equivalent to the amount of energy the battery can hold. The larger the battery capacity, the more driving range you will enjoy (and the more expensive it will be).
It is important to know that EV batteries are expressed in kilowatt-hours (kWh). For example, a 100kWh battery could deliver 100kW of power within an hour. But most EVs do not use their full battery capacity all of the time. Instead, EVs throttle their power so that it lasts for several hours and a few hundred kilometers before it needs to be recharged.
There are several electric vehicles on the market today that vary in battery capacity between 20kWh and 100kWh. Here are some of the most popular electric vehicles in Australia, along with their standard battery capacities and driving ranges:
- GWM Ora – 48kWh (310km claimed range)
- BYD Atto 3 – 49.92kWh (345km claimed range)
- MG4 – 51kWh (350km claimed range)
- Tesla Model Y – 57.5kWh (455km claimed range)
- Tesla Model 3 – 57.5kWh (491km claimed range)
A number of factors affect the actual range of an electric vehicle, including your driving style. High speeds, fast acceleration, and heavy cargo will consume more energy more quickly. Conversely, regenerative braking will increase the battery power of your EV.
How do you charge an EV battery?
Electric vehicles (EV’s) can be charged at home or on the road simply by plugging them into a designated charging station. The higher the kilowatt (kW) rating of the charging station, the faster it will charge your vehicle.
With dedicated EV charging stations, your EV can be charged in a few hours and may even use excess solar energy. A rapidly growing network of public charging stations is available throughout Australia, allowing you to charge up your EV wherever you are.
What happens if my EV battery runs out of charge?
Some electric models’ batteries may be damaged by fully discharging (‘deep discharging’), causing the battery to deteriorate more quickly and reducing their future charge capacity.
Just like most petrol or diesel car drivers don’t drive their petrol or diesel car to complete empty, it’s unlikely that you’ll drive your EV battery down to its last charge.
Australian motorists drive an average of 35 kilometers per day so that EVs on sale in Australia typically have enough battery capacity for at least a few days of driving before recharging is necessary.
What happens if my EV battery dies?
The battery may need to be replaced if its remaining capacity does not meet your EV’s requirements at the end of its lifespan.
The maintenance of EVs is usually cheaper than that of ICE vehicles due to their fewer moving parts, however, the cost of replacing EV batteries can be very high.
How do I take care of my EV battery?
The state of charge of EV batteries should be kept between 20 and 80 percent, which keeps them at a resting state of charge that prolongs battery life. Some Tesla and BYD EV batteries do not need to be charged at this rate.
Otherwise, you should take care of your EV battery just like you would an ICE car battery. Drive your car regularly and maintain it according to OEM recommendations. Optimize the vehicle’s exposure to extreme temperatures and avoid overheating or freezing.
Can Electric Vehicle batteries be recycled?
EV batteries can be recycled, regardless of whether they are hybrid or pure.
The lithium-ion battery retains a significant amount of its original capacity, so it can be used to power a home or commercial building. In addition to recycling their materials after they have reached their end of life, lithium-ion batteries can also contain nickel, copper, plastic, and lithium as well.
Recycling and repurposing used EV batteries help reduce waste, lower costs, and support sustainable energy practices. These batteries retain significant capacity, typically around 70-80%, making them suitable for energy storage solutions, backup power systems, and renewable energy integration.
The auto industry is working on improving electric vehicle battery recycling. Volkswagen, for example, has announced a pilot plant for recycling 97% of battery components to create new batteries in its home market, Germany.
