- A new study suggests EV batteries could last far longer than previously estimated.
- One of the study’s authors said “We’ve not been testing EV batteries the right way” as they don’t factor in real-world driving conditions.
- Acceleration, braking, and downtime all help batteries last longer.
Battery degradation is a serious problem, which can drastically reduce the range of older EVs or necessitate an expensive battery replacement. However, a new study by scientists at the SLAC-Stanford Battery Center suggests electric vehicle batteries could last significantly longer than previously expected.
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According to Stanford’s summary, the way battery life cycles are typically calculated isn’t very good when it comes to EVs. This is because they assume a fairly constant discharge and recharge cycle, which doesn’t happen with vehicles.
More: Tesla Batteries Only Deliver 64% Of EPA Range After 3 Years, But There’s A Big Asterisk
Instead, EVs experience everything from short trips around town to long distance highway drives. There’s also stop and go traffic as well as lots of sitting around in a parking lot. Charging also varies as some owners might top off the battery every night, while others may wait days between sessions.
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This relatively chaotic life is something that can’t easily be replicated in labs, so researchers created four discharge profiles based on driving data. With these in hand, they “tested 92 commercial lithium-ion batteries for more than two years” and found the more realistic the profile, the “higher EV life expectancy climbed.”
The study found some surprises including that sharp, short acceleration can lead to slower degradation. This is the opposite of what you’d expect to happen. Furthermore, the study showed regenerative braking and giving batteries a “rest” helps them last longer.
There are also important distinctions between time and cycles, when it comes to battery aging. Cycles are more important for EVs that are constantly in use such as taxis, buses, and delivery vans. For consumers, time is the ultimate enemy.
While you can read the full study here, researchers said automakers “could update their EV battery management software to take advantage of the new findings and to maximize battery longevity under real-world conditions.”
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H/T to The Hill
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