Electric vehicles

This article discusses the changes in battery pack design that impact which cell chemistries can be used in a commercially viable way. An overview is given for future adoption of new cell chemistries such as LMFP and solid state batteries, and how pack structure will impact their applicability.

Wednesday 22 January 2025 - An overview of materials used in battery cells and battery packs; Trends in cathode chemistry and anode materials; Battery pack designs: cell-to-pack and cell-to-body; The impact on pack materials including thermal management, composite/polymer enclosures, interconnects and insulation

Second-life battery storage technologies are struggling to be a cost-competitive technology against first-life Li-ion battery energy storage systems (BESS). In their report on the topic, "Second-life Electric Vehicle Batteries 2025-2035: Markets, Forecasts, Players, and Technologies", IDTechEx explores various means for repurposers to generate revenue within the sector including renting systems and incentivizing automotive OEMs to share revenues.

IDTechEx reports positive growth of Li-ion batteries to be expected over the coming years, largely due to policy, technological improvements, and demand in major sectors such as the EV market and stationary energy storage.

Air cooling dominated the battery cooling market a few years ago but was overtaken by active cooling (using indirect liquid cooling methods) due to its ability to keep the cells at a more optimal temperature range, enabling greater battery longevity and faster charging. According to IDTechEx, this method is expected to be just as popular over the next decade, with trends predicted to be similar except for a small increase in immersion for niche applications.

Copper has been used in cars for as long as vehicles have had electrically powered features. Its main use today is as the vehicle's central nervous system, connecting a network of sensors, actuators, displays, and more to the vehicle's ECU brains. As cars evolve and utilize more electronic components, the demand for wiring will inevitably increase.

A power module in DC fast chargers is a critical component that converts AC grid power into high-voltage DC power to charge EV batteries efficiently. It integrates rectifiers, inverters, and control systems to ensure precise power delivery while optimizing energy efficiency and minimizing heat loss. Power modules are essential for achieving rapid charging speeds and supporting high-power applications, meeting the demands of growing EV adoption.

Construction vehicles running on diesel can be a creator of constant costs and air pollution, with continuous negative impacts on the environment and communities. The goal for electric construction vehicles is to achieve maximum productivity, reliability, and efficiency, while keeping costs minimized. Finding the right battery chemistry for electric construction machines is, therefore, a necessary consideration so that costs can be low enough to ensure the total cost of ownership over the vehicle's lifetime is cheaper than diesel alternatives.

Thursday 9 January 2025 - Navigating Emerging Trends for the Economic Development of Second-Life EV Batteries; Applications of second-life electric vehicle batteries; Overview of the global second-life electric vehicle battery market, including commentary on key players, regional activity, and an introduction to policies; Discussion on cost bottlenecks identified by IDTechEx in the second-life battery repurposing process, informed by primary interviews with key repurposers; Emerging trends to impact repurposing costs and economic development of second-life EV batteries. This includes business-to-business (B2B) battery marketplaces, advanced battery testing / grading / diagnostics technologies, semi-automated EV battery disassembly technologies, EV battery trends, and revenue sharing business models; IDTechEx's outlook and conclusions on the global second-life EV battery market

Historically, heavy-duty trucks have proven difficult to electrify, with the average annual mileage of a truck approximately ten times that of a passenger vehicle, regularly driving hundreds of km a day. 2024 has seen further growth in the global electric truck market, with progressive emissions reductions mandated by governments projected to propel further uptake.