How Lithium-Ion Batteries Are Powering the Electric Vehicle Revolution

The automotive environment is evolving, with distinctions in electric vehicles (EVs) as promoters of sustainable mobility. At the center of this change is the lithium-ion battery – one of the most sophisticated technologies that propels cars with electric motors. This blog delves into the complexities of lithium-ion batteries, including their chemistry, uses, problems, and bright future.

The Chemistry Behind the Power

To define the power of lithium-ion batteries, it is necessary to discuss some chemistry factors. A lithium-ion battery includes a cathode, an anode, and an electrolyte in between the said electrodes. The cathode, also known as the positive electrode, is made with materials such as lithium iron phosphate (LFP), lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxides (NMC), lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxides (NCA), or lithium cobalt oxide (LCO). The anode, usually made of a graphite material, works as the negative electrode in the battery. The electrolyte, generally a lithium-ion conductor, helps shuttle lithium ions between electrodes.

Discharging entails lithium ions migrating from the anode to the cathode, thus creating an electric current. This occurs during charging when lithium ions transport themselves back to the anode side. Because of this electrochemical reaction energy density, lithium-ion batteries are ideal sources of energy for portable gadgets, especially electric cars. Cobalt and manganese-based LFP Batteries, nickel and manganese-based NMC Batteries, and Lithium ceramics and olivine LCO batteries are a few of the most popular batteries in EVs.

Battery Management Systems (BMS)

Lithium-ion batteries thus need a highly developed battery management system to take advantage of the battery’s possibilities. The primary purpose of the BMS is to monitor and manage the battery’s health and integrity effectively. It constantly supervises each cell in a battery pack and records the voltage, temperature, and state of charge of the cell. This continuous supervision avoids overcharging, over-discharging, and high temperatures, which can severely limit a battery’s life. ST’s Battery Management System solution, for instance, which is based on the new highly integrated Battery Management IC L9963E and its companion isolated transceiver L9963T, can provide the highest accuracy measurements of up to 14 cells in series in a mono or bi-directional daisy-chain configuration, as well as sophisticated cell monitoring and diagnostic capabilities. This also complies with ASIL D standards necessary for automotive safety.

Nevertheless, the BMS acts as the brain of the battery pack, overseeing various critical functions: The BMS acts as the brain of the battery pack, overseeing various critical functions:

• Cell Balancing: Guarantees that all the cells located in the pack are in the same charge state to perform and last longer.
• Temperature Control: To control the temperature so that the battery does not get too hot or too cold, preventing various issues that may occur.
• State-of-Charge (SOC) Estimation: Effectively calculates the amount of charge left over to estimate the correct range.
• State-of-Health (SOH) Monitoring: Monitors the battery’s condition to determine battery life and the most appropriate charging patterns.
• Fast Charging Optimization: Manages charging currents to maximize charging speed while minimizing battery stress.

Advanced BMS systems use predictive maintenance algorithms to anticipate future problems and optimize battery performance during its entire lifespan. In essence, the BMS is the underappreciated hero of lithium-ion battery technology. Its clever management ensures that batteries provide maximum performance, life, and safety. For instance, in January 2024, Analogue Devices, Inc. and Rohde & Schwarz helped the automotive industry to run the wBMS technologically, environmentally, and economically superior to the wired BMS technological paradigm. A new automated test method has been created to verify and mass-produce wireless gadgets. This breakthrough builds on prior work at wBMS RF robustness testing.

As battery technology continues to evolve, so will BMS’s capabilities, promising even more efficient and reliable energy storage solutions in the future.

Range and Efficiency

With the growth in EV adoption, achieving maximum range while maintaining optimal efficiency is a cornerstone of the electric vehicle revolution. In line with this, the Dubai Water and Electricity Authority (DEWA) predicts that by 2025, there will be 12,852 electric cars in Dubai, up from 7,331 in 2023.  This complies with Dubai’s Green Mobility Strategy 2030, which has provided a benchmark that by 2030, 10 percent of new vehicles and 30 percent of the public fleet vehicles must be electric or hybrid.

Figure 1:  Electric Vehicle Operating in Dubai, 2023-2025

Source: International Trade Administration

Moreover, investments in the production of Electric vehicles, in essence, have boosted the growth. For instance, in the financial year 2024, what was merely seen as an emerging player, GFCL EV Products Ltd., a 100% subsidiary of Gujarat Fluorochemicals Ltd. (GFL), unveiled a massive INR 6000 crore investment plan over the next four to five years. This investment is needed to produce 200 GWh for EV and ESS battery systems annually. It’s what transforms an electric car from a mere concept to a practical daily driver.

Apart from this, the capacity of a battery is similar to that of a regular car’s gasoline tank: the greater it is, the further one can travel. However, the size of the battery is not the only consideration. It is also important to consider how effectively the vehicle uses that energy. Here, one has to take into account vehicle aerodynamics, the rolling resistance of tires, and the efficiency of the electric motor.

An increase in range is another factor that is achieved through features such as regenerative braking which also captures energy during deceleration. This method is being used significantly, which has greatly enriched total productivity.

Pursuing a longer range and higher efficiency is an ongoing challenge for electric vehicle manufacturers. Besides this, according to the International Energy Agency, the global electric bus & Medium-heavy-duty truck sales in 2022 were 66,000 and 60,000, respectively, making 4.5% of total bus sales and 1.2% of total truck sales. China continues to dominate the manufacture and sales of electric (and fuel cell) trucks and buses. In 2022, 54,000 new electric buses and 52,000 electric medium- and heavy-duty trucks were sold in China, accounting for 18% and 4% of its overall sales and about 80% and 85% of global sales, respectively. In addition, it is stated that Chinese brands are market leaders in the bus and truck markets of Latin America, North America, and European countries.

Cost Analysis

Lithium-ion batteries are the powerhouse of electric cars, and their cost can be considered one of the largest driving forces. Earlier, the costs of batteries were very high, due to which they had limited applications, but adequate technological developments and improvements in manufacturing processes have made batteries significantly cheap. Moreover, battery prices depend on location, with China recording the cheapest price while the rest of Asia Pacific recorded as expensive. This gap is expressed by the capacity of about 65% of battery cells, and more than 80% of cathodes are produced in China.

Some of the biggest expenses of batteries are linked to the cost of raw materials. Lithium, cobalt, nickel, and graphite are all part of the battery. These have an impact on battery manufacturing costs, and correspondingly, their prices have been unstable. Moreover, the process involved in cell assembly, testing, and quality checking requires sophisticated tools and skilled employees, which is more expensive than that of other boards.

However, the rapidly growing electric car sector has pushed economies of scale to the forefront. As demand grows, battery manufacturers have increased manufacturing, lowering costs per unit. Furthermore, constant research and development have resulted in advances in battery chemistry and manufacturing processes, contributing to better efficiency and cheaper costs. In the table below, the top EV battery suppliers in China have been discussed:

Table 1:  Key Procurement Suppliers in the EV Value Chain in China

Supplier Name	Key Materials Supplied	About Supplier
Polinovel	Light EV Batteries, Bluetooth Lithium Batteries, 12V Small Battery	The company entered clean energy lithium-ion battery production in 2012. It integrated, designed, developed, manufactured, and sold EV batteries in China.
Nanjing Torphan Tech Co., Ltd	Lithium Ion Battery and Lithium- Ion Phosphate Battery	Nanjing Torphan Tech Co., Ltd’s products are approved with ISO9001 CE, and the company has 150 workers in the plant.

 Thus, government actions, including incentives and subsidies, can also be mentioned as influential throughout the analyzed period. These interventions brought about a shift demanding cheaper batteries, thus contributing to the development of cost-efficient battery technology. Energy/Battery Management System is a technology made mandatory for automobiles by ARAI, India’s automotive testing and research organization; therefore, for this R&D, they pushed for a cheaper regional and indigenous solution. ARAI-eMi4 is an integrated, comprehensive software and embedded hardware solution for intelligent energy management that combines advanced energy management algorithms with approved automotive hardware to govern energy supply. While the path to price parity with traditional gasoline-powered vehicles continues, the progress accomplished thus far is considerable.

Environmental Impact and Sustainability

Although electric vehicles powered by lithium-ion batteries reduce greenhouse emissions significantly compared with conventional gasoline automobiles, there are some environmental issues surrounding the formation and disposal of batteries.

As much as lithium-ion batteries have numerous benefits, their production has a downside. Mining lithium and cobalt, which are the main components in lithium-ion batteries, creates effects such as deforestation, soil erosion, and water pollution. In addition, the manufacturing process is energy-intensive, and it may increase the carbon footprint. This is further exacerbated by electric vehicle sales. According to the IEA, electric vehicle sales in the United States rose from 1 million in 2022 to 1.6 million in 2023, further impacting the growth in the utilization of lithium-ion batteries in the nation.

Figure 2:  Electric Vehicle Sales, United States, in Millions, 2016-2023

Source: IEA

The sector is expanding its emphasis on sustainable practices to offset environmental effects. Responsible raw material procurement, including alternative sources and recycling, is critical. Other aspects, such as finding battery chemistries with low cobalt reliance, are also under research. For instance, lithium-ion batteries will be replaced by a perfect approach to the innovation of small electric car batteries enveloped by safety and power, which is the result of the National Science Foundation. This novel technique helps create batteries that use solid-state cells with metallic lithium rather than graphite anodes. Furthermore, the lithium ceramic will serve as a solid electrolyte in a new generation of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that are both powerful and cost-effective. Unlike traditional lithium-ion batteries, which use liquid organic electrolytes and a polymer film, solid-state batteries are entirely made of solid components. In this setup, a thin ceramic layer acts both as a solid electrolyte and a separator.

Some of the materials, including the cathode and the electrolyte active materials, can be recycled at the end of the lithium-ion batteries’ useful life. Recycling protects resources while preventing hazardous materials from polluting the environment. The industry’s main goal is to create outstanding and well-adapted recycling strategies and methods. Another emerging system is known as the circular economy, where batteries are built so that they are easy to recycle and can be reused again.

According to the IEA, automotive Li-ion use has risen by about 65% to 550 MWh in 2022, mainly due to higher purchases of electric passenger cars in 2022, up by 55% in 2021. Additionally, battery demand for automobiles climbed by more than 70% in China, and EV sales increased by 80% in 2022 compared to 2021, albeit the battery demand growth was somewhat offset by a higher percentage of PHEVs. The global sales of BEV and PHEV are overtaking HEV, and because of this, the battery capabilities of BEV and PHEV are increasing, which in turn fuels the battery requirement. Despite being relatively larger contributors to the environment, lithium-ion batteries have fewer adverse effects because waste is kept to the lowest levels with resource optimization.

The Future of Lithium-Ion Batteries

Lithium-ion batteries have gone beyond their primary purpose of powering portable gadgets to revolutionize various sectors. Electric cars have grown in popularity, with lithium-ion batteries providing essential energy storage. Beyond automobiles, these batteries power electric bicycles, scooters, and other personal mobility devices, helping to promote sustainable urban transportation. Nonetheless, the IEA reports that China supplies over 95% of lithium-ion phosphate batteries for electric LDVs (Light-Duty Vehicles), with BYD accounting for 50% of the market. Tesla provided 15%, and its share of LFP batteries increased from 20% in 2021 to 30% in 2022. Tesla automobiles account for around 85% of all LFP battery-powered vehicles, with the majority being made in China.

Besides, renewable energy has also employed lithium-ion batteries. These batteries are a component of energy storage facilities. They accumulate electricity that has been produced in excess by solar and wind facilities. This stored energy can be utilized during the peak of the day, peak of the week, or night, or where renewable energy is not readily available, thus ensuring a stable and less reliance on fossil energies. Lithium-ion batteries are used in portable devices and the medical field for pacemakers, defibrillators, and insulin pumps. Their dependability, extended lifespan, and small size make them perfect for many life-saving applications.

Lithium-ion batteries have become important in modern life, providing power for devices and allowing renewable energy solutions. Their variety and performance have created many opportunities, and as technology advances, one can expect even more novel uses to emerge.

Conclusion

Lithium-ion batteries’ path from powering portable electronics to pushing electric cars exemplifies human inventiveness. Their great energy density, longevity, and growing affordability have transformed several sectors. These batteries have proven vital in applications ranging from cell phones to renewable energy storage.

However, issues continue. The environmental effect of battery manufacture and disposal should be carefully considered. Sustainable raw material procurement, effective recycling methods, and developing next-generation battery technologies are crucial to achieving a greener future. As we move forward, collaborative efforts between industry, government, and consumers are essential to unlock the full potential of lithium-ion batteries while minimizing their environmental footprint.

Together, we can harness the full potential of lithium-ion batteries to create a cleaner, more sustainable future.

Let’s power the future together!