How does it all work now?

The current industry standard for lithium battery manufacturing involves a low-current pre-charge method used to form a protective semi-solid layer on the negative electrode.

This layer protects the lithium inside the electrode, preventing unwanted chemical reactions. This initial low-current charging process usually takes about ten hours and Lithium loss up to 9%.

The slower the battery is charged, the less lithium ions are lost, but this process is critical to maintaining the integrity of the battery.

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Innovative approach

A recent study by a team from the University of Washington, Stanford University, and Toyota Corporation challenges this traditional approach.

After extensive experiments with nearly 200 lithium-ion cells, scientists discovered that short-term charging at higher current levels can extend the life of the batteries. on average 50%. Service life extended in some cases up to 70%.

The new method involves charging the battery at high current for 20 minutes, which speeds up the initial formation of the protective layer. However, this approach has a significant trade-off: higher lithium-ion losses, which can reach up to 30%.

Despite this disadvantage, long battery life is a compelling advantage, especially at a time when global demand for electric vehicles continues to grow.

Where can it be applied?

The data is particularly important for the electric car market, where battery life is crucial. Longer-lasting batteries could increase the resale value of EVs and make them more attractive in the aftermarket.

There could also be interest in the concept of swappable traction batteries, which some companies are already promoting. For example, we could see widespread use of battery swap stations in the future, which would allow drivers to swap their car batteries in less than five minutes without leaving the vehicle.

This system, which also includes the option of renting large-capacity batteries for longer journeys, could become even more attractive if the life of standard traction batteries increases.

As electric vehicles become more widespread, a solution that can increase battery life or minimize lithium loss will become critical and popular with manufacturers. This new method offers a potential path to more durable and efficient batteries, despite some drawbacks.