Understanding the life of lithium ion batteries in electric vehicles
http://portal.acs.org/portal/PublicWebSite/pressroom/newsreleases/CNBP_032579[font face=Serif]EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE | April 10, 2013
[font size=5]Understanding the life of lithium ion batteries in electric vehicles[/font]
[font size=3]NEW ORLEANS, April 10, 2013 Scientists today answered a question that worries millions of owners and potential owners of electric and hybrid vehicles using lithium-ion batteries: How long before the battery pack dies, leaving a sticker-shock bill for a fresh pack or a car ready for the junk heap? Their answer, presented here at the 245th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS), being held here this week, may surprise skeptics.
The battery pack could be used during a quite reasonable period of time ranging from 5 to 20 years depending on many factors, said Mikael G. Cugnet, Ph.D., who spoke on the topic. Thats good news when you consider that some estimates put the average life expectancy of a new car at about eight years.
Cugnet explained that the lifespan depends mainly on the batterys temperature, state of charge and charge protocol. Battery performance begins to suffer as soon as the temperature climbs above 86 degrees Fahrenheit. The higher the temperature, the lower the battery service life, he said. A temperature above 86 degrees F affects the battery pack performance instantly and even permanently if it lasts many months like in Middle East countries.
Cugnet also recommended that electric vehicle (EV) owners pay attention to how much their battery is charged, another factor in a batterys longevity. He reported that a fully-charged battery is more vulnerable to losing power at temperatures above 86 degrees F.
[/font][/font]