Batteries

Upcycling Commercial Fleets into Circular EVs

Based on the success thus far, Evolectric hopes to introduce its technology to more markets worldwide where demand is growing for affordable and accessible EVs. The company hopes to build a network of local partners capable of carrying out all installation and maintenance services.

Leveraging AI for EV Performance Improvement

As commercial fleets adopt more electric vehicles, they need accurate state-of-health measurements and smart charging algorithms to ensure their EVs have minimum unscheduled downtime. To solve these problems effectively, we need comprehensive data collection, capable computing infrastructure, and intelligent algorithms.

Putting a New ‘Charge’ in EV Recharging

Although there have been questions about the continuing consumer uptake of EVs, BMW’s Niels Bohn said that the robustness of the charging network is the key to achieving consumer acceptance.

How Adhesives Address the Challenges of Manufacturing Microbatteries

Currently, researchers are exploring the use of adhesives in combination with laser-cut gasket materials to deliver maximum energy density, miniaturization, and while maintaining a high degree of hermetic integrity to assure long-lived operation and efficiency.

Improving and Increasing Energy Density of Batteries

When it comes to making batteries that last longer, a team of researchers including engineers at Brown University and Idaho National Laboratory believes the key might be in how things get clean — specifically how soap works in this process.

Cobalt-Free Batteries Could Power EVs of the Future

Many electric vehicles are powered by batteries that contain cobalt — a metal that carries high financial, environmental, and social costs. MIT researchers have now designed a battery material that could offer a more sustainable way to power electric cars. The new lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery includes a cathode based on organic materials, instead of cobalt or nickel (another metal often used in Li-ion batteries).

New Cathode Material for Sodium-Ion Batteries

Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory have invented and patented a new cathode material that replaces lithium ions with sodium and would be significantly cheaper.

New Products

See the new products, including Beam Global’s EV ARC, an advanced sustainable charging infrastructure solution for EVs; Solvay's SolvaLite® 716 FR, an innovative fast-curing epoxy prepreg system; Recyclus Group's solution for the safe storage and transportation of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, the LiBox; and Freudenberg Sealing Technologies' new type of foldable gasket for battery electric vehicles.

Structurally Healable, Highly Conductive New Cathode for Solid-State Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed a new cathode material for solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries that is electrically conductive and structurally healable — features that overcome the limitations of these batteries’ current cathodes.

Behold: The First Battery Prototype Using Hemoglobin

Researchers have developed a battery that uses hemoglobin as an electrochemical reaction facilitator, functioning for around 20-30 days.

New Material Could Lead to Better Hydrogen-Based Batteries, Fuel Cells

Researchers led by Genki Kobayashi at the RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research in Japan have developed a solid electrolyte for transporting hydride ions at room temperature.

Next-Generation Flow Battery Design

A research team from the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory reports that the flow battery, a design optimized for electrical grid energy storage, maintained its capacity to store and release energy for more than a year of continuous charge and discharge.

3D Battery Imaging Reveals Real-Time Life of Lithium Metal Cells

A team from Chalmers University of Technology has succeeded in observing how the lithium metal in the cell behaves as it charges and discharges. The new method may contribute to batteries with higher capacity and increased safety in our future cars and devices.

A New Design for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory are researching solutions to these Li-ion battery issues by testing new materials in battery construction. One such material is sulfur.

Stretchable Micro-Supercapacitors to Self-Power Wearable Devices

A stretchable system that can harvest energy from human breathing and motion for use in wearable health-monitoring devices may be possible, according to an international team of researchers.

A Novel Strategy to Stabilize Zinc-Ion Batteries

Researchers constructed an electrocrystallization strategy to induce zinc texture growth. The adsorption of DMA induces Zn (002) texture growth and inhibits harmful side reactions.

Climate-Friendly Sodium-Ion Batteries to Rival Li-ion Batteries

The transition to a society without fossil fuels means that the need for batteries is increasing at a rapid pace. One option is a sodium-ion battery, where table salt and biomass from the forest industry make up the main raw materials.

TELEPORT: A New, Better Way to Extract Lithium

A research team from the University of Virginia has found a way to extract lithium from geothermal brines. The team’s method is called Targeted Extraction of Lithium with Electroactive Particles for Recovery Technology (TELEPORT).

A Green Li-ion Battery-Recycling Method

Researchers have improved on approaches that dissolve the Li-ion batteries in a liquid solution to reduce the amount of hazardous chemicals used in the recycling process.

Managing the Evolution of the EV Charging Standard

Grayson Brulte, host of SAE’s Tomorrow Today podcast, interviewed Christian Thiele, Director, Global Ground Vehicle Standards, SAE International, and Dr. Rodney McGee, P.E. Chairman, SAE J3400 NACS Task Force, regarding the work of the J3400 Task Force. This Q&A is an abbreviated portion of that interview.

Mistakes to Avoid When Integrating a Battery Test System

It’s not easy to configure a battery cycle test system for EV batteries and similar high-power batteries. This article covers the mistakes that engineers sometimes make when integrating a battery test system.

Zonal Electrical Architectures Cut Vehicle Wiring-System Cost, Complexity

Ultimately, zonal architectures require a fundamentally reorganized software structure that allows the OEM to independently, quickly, easily, and modularly adapt the control of the entire vehicle while minimizing the complexity in the wiring harness and the number of control devices.

Modeling Considerations for Optimizing EV Motors

Optimizing EV motors before they hit the market is crucial. As the demand for clean energy vehicles grows, customers need assurance that their chosen vehicle is reliable and fulfills sustainability promises.