Change always seems difficult but it’s also always worth it!
Taking a first step towards buying an electric vehicle might seem a little challenging for a lot of us. Since we are all accustomed to buying fuel based vehicles and the way they function, the questions regarding electric vehicles and their functioning are obvious. To address this, let us take you through the types of EV batteries that are used in EV. We hope this information helps you address your concerns regarding the batteries used in electric vehicles.
EV Batteries :
There are several types of lithium-ion batteries, with lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) and lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries being the most common ones used in EVs. Like all batteries, both NMCs and LFPs have their strengths and shortcomings:
NMCs
LFPs
Energy Density
Energy Density Higher Lower
Lower
Energy Density
Energy Density Higher Lower
Lower
Temperature
Have a better charging performance in low temperatures.
Tolerate high temperatures longer.
Materials
Use more expensive materials like cobalt, nickel, and manganese.
Use iron, which is more readily available than other minerals worldwide (including in North America). Require more lithium.
Cost
More cost.
Less cost.
Duration
Don’t last as long.
Lasts longer.
End of Life
More likely to be recycled.
Less likely to be recycled: LFPs contain lower-value materials than NMCs, which means that the cost of recycling is often higher than the value of the materials collected.
Top reasons why Lithium ion batteries are used :
1. High Energy Density :
This means the vehicle does not emit any harmful gases in the environment. As a result of this, electric vehicles reduce the air pollution to a great extent. Research says, just one electric run over a year can save upto 1.5 million grams of CO2. This is equivalent to four return flights from London to Barcelona.
2. Perform well at both temperatures :
Lithium ion batteries function well at high temperatures and low temperatures without being damaged.
3. Low self discharge rate :
The battery can sustain itself for a longer time even if it’s not in use for days or weeks together.
4. Can withstand many battery cycles :
Lithium ion batteries can retain their original battery capacity even after multiple charging cycles.
The current scenario considering the environment and the efforts that are being made by the governments, companies and individuals, it is certain that we all have to shift to a sustainable way of living sooner or later. While EV may not be 100% environment friendly, it is definitely not as harmful as an ICE vehicle. With the new age technology, consistent efforts are being made to find solutions which are less harmful to the environment.
If you’re considering shifting to EV, we hope this article was useful in understanding the difference between the two kinds of batteries used in EV.
