The Battery for an Electric Vehicle (EV)
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It provides the power needed to propel a two-ton vehicle. The capacity of an EV battery is measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh), which measures the energy it can store for a specific period. For example, a Tesla Model S battery has a capacity of 100 kWh, which means that it can supply enough energy to propel the car for one hour. However, the battery capacity is much less than what most people need during typical day-to-day driving. A larger battery, like the Jaguar i-Pace, can last several hours.
The energy watt-hour (kWh) rating of a battery is based on voltage and current factors. An EV battery with a 60-100 kWh capacity can provide 60W power for up to three hours. But even at its maximum capacity, a battery loses its capacity over time. This loss is called self-discharge, which can affect a battery’s overall capacity.
LGES is one of the leading battery manufacturers, accounting for over one-fifth of the global EV battery market. The company recently became the second-largest listed company in South Korea. EV It had a total installed capacity of 60.2 GWh, which was the second-largest in the world. It had a 20.3 percent market share in 2021 and recently announced plans to increase sales by 8% in 2022.
Today, the demand for EVs is at an all-time high. This demand is fueling increased competition in the battery industry. As a result, manufacturers are pushing for higher energy-density battery cells to increase driving range.
Currently, most OEMs use existing platforms for EVs. They develop new platforms for EVs by using existing technology and models. Nonetheless, there are some issues with existing technology. For example, a vehicle’s power profile and the landscape’s topography can affect the battery’s energy storage capacity.
Batteries for EVs can be large and heavy, weighing several hundred kilos. To provide adequate power to an electric vehicle, batteries are made up of thousands of cells. They are packed together in a battery pack, usually mounted under the floor of the car. Its structure can be stacked several times and is conditioned for optimal operating temperature.
The battery for an EV is larger and more expensive than the battery for a conventional vehicle. They also contain more expensive metals, including lithium. The batteries are more expensive than other consumer goods because lithium is intensively mined and does not come cheap. Most electric car manufacturers include the battery in the cost of the car, but some have started leasing the batteries separately.
Lithium-ion batteries are typically used in EVs. While they provide a good level of energy and performance, traditional lithium-ion batteries are heavy and have yet to reach the density needed for a breakthrough range. Solid-state batteries offer better energy density, lighter weight, and less space than lithium-ion batteries. These advantages are desirable for performance EVs.