Our electric vehicle battery guide explains what you ought to know, before you purchase an electric car, since batteries are not all the same. Some batteries aim for maximum performance. We find these in expensive, top-end vehicles which can become a status symbol. However, if you use your vehicle for short trips around town, then you may be content with something simpler.
Two Types of Electric Vehicle Batteries to Consider
There were various types of electric vehicle batteries in the early days. But that was before the ‘super car’ image that Tesla created. This obsessed early electric car users with brute power and speed. Only Tesla’s lithium-ion batteries could meet such exceptional demands.
Your Guide to Lithium-Ion Batteries
The early electric car industry, and its consumers, followed Tesla’s lead. Lithium-ion batteries became the industry standard. Although lithium metal is expensive, and North America imports most of it from overseas. The other issue is the metal burns if it overheats.
This overheating was not really a problem with lithium-ion batteries ten years ago. Although they did occasionally catch fire after a vehicle accident. But this relative stability changed after electric car makers squeezed more power out of lithium-ion chemistry. The lithium in the battery liquid electrolyte became hot during charging.
Is Nickel Metal Hydride a Safer Solution?
Nickel-metal hydride batteries use a different chemical combination, compared to the lithium-ion variety. Their electrolytes are an alkaline material with high thermal stability. This safety factor made nickel-metal hydride popular among early hybrid electric vehicle owners, until lithium-ion took over with its greater power.
You’ll still find nickel-metal hydride batteries in some hybrid electric vehicles, their owners use as city runabouts. These have an enviable reputation for durability and safety. However, they store less energy than lithium-ion, and so they have a shorter driving range making them less popular.
Innovation in Electric Vehicle Batteries Going Forward
Our electric vehicle battery guide would be incomplete, if we stopped writing as this point. We’ll continue by discussing sodium-ion and solid-state batteries in our next post, so please call back again soon.
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Guide to Electric Car Batteries 101
