However, electric vehicles still face the problem of aging lithium-ion batteries. After a certain number of charge-discharge cycles, the amount of electricity that the battery can store will gradually decrease, and the driving range of the electric vehicle will decline over time.
A recent study by researchers at the University of Michigan investigated the lifespan of lithium-ion batteries, including those used in electric vehicles. The study found that following nine recommendations during use can significantly extend the lifespan of lithium-ion batteries.
I. Nine Recommendations for Maintaining Power Lithium Batteries: Current, Capacity, and Temperature are Key Influencing Factors
Recently, researchers at the University of Michigan conducted a study on the lifespan of lithium batteries and published a report. The report provided an in-depth study of common lithium batteries in daily life and also proposed several methods to extend the lifespan of lithium batteries used in electric vehicles.
▲The report has been published in the journal *Journal of Energy Storage*.
The report states that after compiling information from dozens of academic papers, user manuals from power lithium battery manufacturers, and customer service center websites, researchers found that six factors affect the lifespan of power lithium batteries: temperature, battery cycle count, cycle frequency, battery capacity, charging current, and charging voltage. Among these, charging current, battery capacity, and temperature are the most significant factors influencing the lifespan of power lithium batteries.
▲The report summarizes six factors that affect the lifespan of power lithium batteries.
In other words, if you pay attention to and control the three variables of battery current, battery capacity, and temperature during daily use, the lifespan of automotive lithium batteries will be significantly extended and the capacity degradation will be slowed down.
The report points out that nine usage tips can extend the life of lithium-ion batteries during daily use of electric vehicles.
1. When driving or parking, vehicles should be kept away from high temperatures as much as possible.
2. Avoid driving in low temperatures as much as possible, and especially avoid charging in low temperatures.
3. Try to prevent the power lithium battery from being at 100% charge.
4. Try to prevent the power lithium battery from reaching 0% charge.
5. Avoid using fast charging.
6. Prevent rapid discharge of power lithium batteries.
7. Avoid driving or parking the vehicle in a damp environment.
8. Prevent external damage to the power lithium battery.
9. Follow the manufacturer's other usage recommendations.
II. Daily Use: Avoid extreme environments and minimize the use of fast charging.
Research has found that different automakers offer different usage recommendations to users. Researchers compiled the power lithium battery usage recommendations from ten automakers, including BMW, Chevrolet, Ford, Fiat, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, and TSLA. These recommendations can be divided into four categories: temperature, battery capacity, charging current, and other recommendations, as shown in the table below.
▲The report summarizes maintenance recommendations for lithium-ion batteries from different automakers.
In practical use, how should it be done? The report provides four suggestions.
1. Battery operating temperature
The report states that both high and low temperatures reduce the lifespan of lithium-ion batteries. If a vehicle has a battery cooling system, the battery will cool down before charging begins; vehicles without a battery cooling system should allow the battery to cool naturally before charging. In low-temperature environments, the battery preheating function should be used before charging.
2. Battery charging capacity
The report recommends avoiding full charging or full discharging as much as possible. For example, if a vehicle mainly uses about 30% of the battery's charge, then using it from 80% to 50% is optimal, while using it from 100% to 70% has a greater impact on battery life.
In addition, unless there are special needs, the power lithium battery should not be fully charged or completely discharged. Instead, it should be kept at around 80% charge, or charging should be stopped in time when the charge reaches 100%.
The report also stated that if a vehicle is to be parked for an extended period of time, the power lithium battery should be kept at a charge level of 20% or higher.
3. Control the vehicle charging current (power)
The report suggests that standard charging power should be used whenever possible, and fast charging should be avoided. Furthermore, rapid discharge of the lithium-ion battery should be prevented. In other words, users are advised against sudden acceleration.
4. Other aspects
The report recommends minimizing physical damage to lithium-ion batteries. Bending, deformation, or other physical damage to the battery can not only reduce its lifespan but also pose safety hazards. Furthermore, vehicles should be protected from prolonged parking or driving in damp environments to prevent rusting of components.
"By changing the behaviors that shorten battery life during daily use, batteries can last longer," said report author Greg Keoleian. "This also has positive implications for the environment, as recycling used batteries releases significant amounts of greenhouse gases."
Conclusion: Addressing the "pain points" of electric vehicle use requires rapid advancements in power lithium batteries.
The research and development of electric vehicles is in full swing, but lithium batteries still have many "pain points" in actual use, such as slow charging speed, insufficient range, and rapid power degradation. However, these "pain points" have never been a problem for gasoline-powered vehicles. Nevertheless, people's future travel will still rely on electric vehicles.
Currently, the development of electric vehicles is still on the rise, and the technology of power lithium batteries is constantly making breakthroughs. It is believed that in the near future, these "pain points" will be overcome one by one, making electric vehicles more convenient to use and maintain.
