Ola Effect:- BFF of the EV Industry
Recently, we have seen a surge in the EV market, which has had a direct impact on the society’s battery segment. From INR 100+ for 1L fuel to INR 10 or sometimes free for the exact amount of mileage or being able to power a portable home with a device the size of an ice box, that’s insane.
But none of this “insanity” would have been possible if we had been running on standard battery packs. The star of this phase is the favorite member of our periodic society, who lives in house number three, i.e. — Lithium < Li>
Because of their high-power density, lithium-ion batteries have become the preferred energy storage solution for consumer electronics and electric vehicles. A lithium-ion battery can store 150 watt-hour per kg > nickel hydride battery, which can store 100 watt-hour per kg or a lead-acid battery, which can store approximately 25 watt-hour per kg. Given that lithium-ion batteries are an unavoidable part of daily life, powering everything from phones to other electronic devices, they are everywhere.
BUT HOW LITHIUM?
A lithium-ion battery is made up of multiple cells that contain lithium. Each battery has electrodes on both ends, one with an anode and the other with a cathode. Both the anode and the cathode contain lithium, but they are made of different elements, with the former made of carbon and the latter of lithium cobalt oxide. When you plug in a lithium-ion battery, a charging current is applied to the cell, causing lithium ions to move from cathode to anode via the electrolyte in the middle. When it is supplying energy in the form of electricity, the lithium ions flow from the anode to the cathode. The cell is discharged when all of the lithium ions have moved to the cathode.
WHY LITHIUM?
- It has a higher energy density as compared to standard lead acid.
- Charging a lead-acid battery can take more than 10 hours, whereas charging a lithium ion battery can take anywhere from 3 hours to a few minutes, depending on the size of the battery.
- Way lighter & efficient
E.g.: — If you drove the same distance with each type of battery in the same vehicle, the lead acid battery could take up to ten times the volume that the lithium-ion battery would, and it’s also heavier. As a result, using lithium ion batteries frees up space for other critical payloads, such as more passengers in a bus or more parcels in an electric delivery truck. A high energy density also provides the vehicle with a much longer range, implying that when powered by lithium ion technologies, the user does not need to charge as frequently as compared to the general lead acid.
We occasionally hear that someone’s new phone caught fire, or in a recent event a vehicle from OLA and another from Okinawa caught fire. Have you ever wondered why this happens, or why some vehicles, even mobile phones, experience a drastic drop in battery capacity from 50% to 15% in extreme temperatures?
Why so ?
It all comes down to three magical words.
B-M-S,
Battery Management Systems.
A Battery Management System, or BMS, protects the battery pack by continuously monitoring and regulating parameters such as temperature and voltage. Lithium-ion cells, in contrast to other battery systems, have extensive battery safety functions. A lithium-ion battery can catch fire due to improper manufacturing, external damage, or inefficient or malfunctioning software. Excessive heat generation can occur within a failed or damaged cell, resulting in what is known as a “Thermal Runaway,” in which heat generated by a failed cell can pass on to the next cell, causing a chain reaction that results in a fire. This can occur when a manufacturing flaw allows impurities to enter a lithium-ion cell. Battery management systems can also be harmed when manufacturers attempt to create a very compact design, which can damage the separator.
WHY TO FEAR LITHIUM?
Lithium is a naturally reactive and flammable element. Currently, organic liquid electrolytes are used to charge li-ion batteries. While this is still the only technology available for mass-produced li-ion batteries, manufacturers such as Toyota and Volkswagen are in the advanced stages of testing solid-state batteries, which not only carry a higher charge but also have solid electrolytes that are more resistant to extreme temperatures.
Let’s read some cases shared on our local community
Case 1: An owner of a year-old android one-rated phone encountered a similar problem while visiting Kedarnath in October. His phone’s battery suddenly dropped from 80 percent to 30 percent out of nowhere, owing to the battery’s inability to withstand the extreme temperatures at the time.
Case 2: A Tata EV owner experienced a similar problem when he parked his vehicle in the sun and later discovered that his car had lost approximately 25% of its charge while parked idle on the road.
Still, we have reached a point where we have attained standard Li-ion upgradability, and now we need a new phase of solid-state cells, similar to our insanely famous solid-state storage drive these days. Company manufacturers must focus on battery cooling and BMS upgradation in order to face the extreme hardships on machines imposed by nature.
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Sources: Local-Eyes Community & a pinch from Google
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Written By :- Jeevesh Tech Tips & Machines.
