Let’s Talk Batteries  

Once upon a time, when everybody drove Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles, the car battery was a relatively simple rechargeable device for starting the engine, running electrical components, and protecting electronic parts from voltage spikes. The running engine used the alternator to recharge this box filled with sulfuric acid and water so that it could supply the needed electricity.

With the growth of hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and electric vehicles (EVs), batteries now refer to so much more.

Common Batteries

The following are the most common types of batteries primarily used in vehicles today.

• Lithium-ion (Li-ion). If you’ve read anything about alternative fuel cars, you know that many are powered by Li-ion batteries, which use carbon and lithium to store plenty of energy, can charge more quickly, and have low self-discharge. Unfortunately, this type of battery is also expensive, sensitive to high temperatures, and can be damaged when not used for a long time.
• Nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) is commonly used in electric cars because they have shorter ranges but last longer than Li-ion versions. These batteries rely on hydrogen to store energy and nickel and other metals like titanium for the electrodes. They’re inexpensive, resist overcharging, and are friendly to the environment. On the minus side, they’re heavy, are not very efficient, and have a short lifespan.
• Lead Acid. As explained in the beginning, this most common type of battery appears in ICE and non-ICE vehicles because they’re cheap, easy to recharge, and easy to recycle. But they’re heavy, don’t last for long, and have low efficiency and low capacity. In ICE vehicles, these types of batteries power auxiliary functions, such as accessories and safety features.

Emerging Tech

As the number of EVs continues to increase to meet government mandates and consumer demand, their battery technology continues to evolve.

• Structural Batteries. When batteries are turned into structural carbon-fiber components that are then forged into a vehicle, it becomes lighter and requires less electrical energy for propulsion.
• Wireless Charging. If you can recharge your batteries through W-Fi, you can drive from coast to coast without having to plug in anywhere. This technology, which is in the early stages, downloads AC power via a receiving antenna and relies on a converter to transform it to DC power to motivate a motor or recharge a battery.
• Forever Batteries. At the University of California, scientists have put gold nanowires much thinner than a human hair in an electrolyte gel to prevent them from breaking down, even after 200,000 recharges over three months. These nanowire batteries show no signs of deterioration.

Managing Batteries

If you have an ICE battery, you can make it last longer by regularly cleaning the terminals with a wire brush and a mix of baking soda and water. Avoid short trips, which doesn’t give your battery time to recharge, and drive regularly to prevent lead sulfate crystals from forming and reducing charging ability.

As for optimizing EV batteries, avoid extremes of hot or cold, such as by parking in enclosed areas instead of outdoors. Limit fast charging, which degrades the battery, and use slow charging when possible. Charge only to between 20 and 80 percent to extend battery lifetime.