Building better EV batteries requires comprehensive testing

Transitioning from fuel-powered internal combustion engines (ICEs) to clean energy electric vehicles (EVs) involves significant technological investments to make EVs accessible to the broader market.

Government legislation to eliminate or limit the production of ICEs by 2035 is driving a surge in the demand for the EV ecosystem. This demand, in turn, creates the need for more efficient ways to test EV batteries.

The goal is to develop batteries that improve durability, power density and operational safety using a fast, cost-effective, energy-efficient process.

One important aspect of battery design is performance testing. It is a critical process that includes the design, production and system integration phases to ensure that all batteries entering the open market are of the highest quality for safety and operational performance.

In-house testing

Test houses are busier than ever, and designers are experiencing delays. Relying on external test facilities can add weeks to development time frame, putting companies at a disadvantage against the competition.

Having in-house equipment can reduce testing wait times.

While the capital investment requirements for such equipment may seem prohibitive, the time savings can deliver a substantial return on investment.

Lower operational costs

A well-designed test laboratory can drive tangible operational cost savings for those working in the EV battery R&D sector.

High-performance, state-of-the-art battery test systems can provide up to 96 percent energy efficiency. The remaining 4 percent of the available energy returns to the grid for other uses.

The technology minimizes the operational costs of a busy R&D lab in two ways: upfront by optimizing the installation of cooling infrastructure and on an ongoing basis via a notable reduction in energy costs.

Improving lab operations

EV sales are increasing, with 13.6 million units sold globally last year, 31% more than in 2022. This increasing volume equates to thousands of hours of testing that tie up vast quantities of equipment for substantial periods. As the market moves quickly to fuel growth, these lengthy testing procedures can create design bottlenecks and time-to-market delays.

All that testing requires the ability to efficiently manage and evaluate vast amounts of data. Choosing lab operations software that offers data integrity and traceability functionality is one way of managing high volumes of test data. Also, software applications can offer data analysis tools alongside workflow management functions that streamline your test lab for optimal efficiency.

Testing requirements of cell designers

Modularity and flexibility are crucial to formulating lean processes and designing high-quality battery cells quickly for cell designers, R&D studios and small startups.

Investment in the upstream design stage shows in the quality of the end product. In this phase, correcting design flaws must be fast, cost-efficient and accurate. Test systems such as charge/discharge platforms and lifetime cell cycling equipment must evaluate and verify designs quickly to deliver complete data sets so designers can move to the next set of changes.

Complex system testing

In addition to power electronics, companies need to consider many other test scenarios. They include using a battery management system and a temperature/climate chamber to test prototypes under different climate conditions.

Test scenarios include the following:

• Functional, aging, environment and performance tests
• Standard and standards-compliant tests (ISO, DIN, EN, SAE)
• Resistance (internal), charge, energy, capacity, efficiency, cyclic, calendrical durability, temperature behavior, and mechanical resistance
• Durability, range, and efficiency analysis
• Electrochemical impedance measurement and cyclic voltammetry.

Investing in EV battery testing is not a technical necessity but a strategic imperative for the future of transportation.

Enhanced testing methodologies are crucial for improving the safety, efficiency, and longevity of EV batteries.

This endeavor aligns with global sustainability goals and positions manufacturers at the forefront of innovation, ready to meet the evolving demands of consumers and regulatory bodies.