Lithium-metal batteries could double the range of electric vehicles (EVs). This is according to Stanford University researchers, who’ve discovered how to improve a vehicle’s battery’s cycle life by letting it rest in the discharged state. Read the full article by Mark Shwartz here.
Magnified image of a copper mesh from a lithium metal battery in the discharged state. Tiny pieces of dead lithium of various sizes and shapes are deposited on square openings in the mesh. (Image credit: Wenbo Zhang/Stanford University)
Next-generation EVs could run on lithium-metal batteries that go 500 to 700 miles on a single charge — twice the range of conventional lithium-ion batteries in such vehicles today, found the researchers.
Doubling the range could eliminate range anxiety for drivers who are reluctant to purchase electric vehicles.
Typically, these batteries lose the capacity to store energy after relatively few cycles of charging and discharging, which is far from ideal for EV drivers. Continuous charging and discharging also cause lithium-metal batteries to degrade quickly.
Scientists are continually testing various materials and techniques to improve the battery’s cycle life. The researchers at Stanford University have discovered a simple, low-cost way to do just that: drain the battery and let it rest for several hours. This straightforward approach, described in a study recently published in the journal Nature, restored battery capacity and boosted overall performance.
“We were looking for the easiest, cheapest, and fastest way to improve lithium-metal cycling life,” said study co-lead author Wenbo Zhang, a Stanford PhD student in materials science and engineering. “We discovered that by resting the battery in the discharged state, lost capacity can be recovered and cycle life increased. These improvements can be realized just by reprogramming the battery management software, with no additional cost or changes needed for equipment, materials, or production flow.”
The results of the study could provide EV manufacturers practical insights on adapting lithium-metal technology to real-world driving conditions, said senior author Yi Cui, the Fortinet Founders Professor of Materials Science and Engineering in the School of Engineering, and professor of energy science and engineering in the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability.
The average American driver spends about an hour behind the wheel each day, so the idea of resting the vehicle’s battery for several hours seems feasible for many.
“Lithium-metal batteries have been the subject of a lot of research,” said Cui. “Our findings can help guide future studies that will aid in the advancement of lithium-metal batteries towards widespread commercial adaptation.”
Read the full article here.
Filed Under: Batteries, Technology News