Understanding Electric Vehicle (EV) Battery Health

As society changes and transitions towards net-zero emissions, batteries have gained popularity. Batteries that store energy are being used to mitigate the adverse effects of climate changes brought about by the excessive use of fossil fuels. In the quest for improved energy solutions, Electric Vehicles have emerged as solutions and alternatives to traditional combustion engine vehicles. EVs have gained popularity and are becoming more common on our roads, requiring effective diagnosis. EV battery health is vital as it determines its overall performance, functionality, and efficiency. When buying an electric vehicle, it is important to consider the state of health of the battery as it describes the current performance of batteries and durability. This article provides a comprehensive guide to electronic vehicle battery health and why it is important. 

What is Electric Vehicle Battery Health?

EV health is the current condition of a battery compared to its initial capacity from the manufacturer. What was its capacity when newly installed in an EV, and what is its present condition? The health of a battery determines its ability to deliver the stored charge. A new battery offers high performance since it can deliver at its full capacity. However, just like other items like clothes, household items, and electronic devices, the battery’s health decreases gradually through charge-discharge cycles over time. A healthy battery enables Electric Vehicles to have optimal range, performance, and acceleration. This means that taking good care of a battery extends its lifespan and allows it to last the whole lifetime of a vehicle, eliminating frequent battery replacement and saving much money. 

Increased Prevalence of Electric Vehicles and Battery Health 

The globe is transitioning towards sustainable transportation to reduce the negative effects of excessive use of fossil fuels like air pollution and climate change. Electric vehicles have rapidly gained support and are becoming a mainstream form of transportation. While EV manufacturers are working hard to improve battery technology and prolong range abilities, battery health is key. Battery is the heart of an electric vehicle, and its performance depends directly on it. Deterioration of battery health can reduce the anticipated range below the manufacturer’s rating. It can affect the rate of charging and discharging, leaving the driver stranded in the middle of a journey. 

The traditional gas-powered vehicle made it easy to determine the health of a battery. However, the current electronic vehicle battery is complex and requires expertise and advanced tools. This brings to light the importance of battery diagnostics in determining its health. EV battery thermal inspection helps to assess the health and condition of batteries and diagnose whether there is an issue. Regular diagnostic tests allow the technician to know the potential problems like temperature abnormalities and take proactive measures. The inspections also help predict future challenges and identify potential warranty claims. 

Factors That Affect Electric Battery Health 

The health of an EV battery mostly depends on usage and maintenance rather than the manufacturer’s fault. The driver or the person in charge of the EV can determine whether a battery will reach its expected life span or not. This means that every EV driver should be trained on how to use, monitor, and maintain an EV battery. 

Charging Behaviors 

It is wise to follow the manufacturer’s guide and instructions about charging. It is recommended not to charge the battery frequently to extend its shelf life. Do not charge the battery beyond the recommended voltage or allow it to discharge below its capacity to reduce wear and tear. Follow charging guidelines and refrain from draining the battery power completely. 

Driving Patterns 

Follow good driving behaviors to avoid ruining the health of EV batteries. Practices like high speed, high acceleration rate, and hard cornering put excessive pressure on the battery, making it degrade more quickly than planned. A driver should exercise eco-driving to extend the life cycle of a battery. Drivers should be trained on the aspect of vehicle components and their importance. 

Extreme Temperature 

When manufacturers make batteries, they intend for them to be used and stored at average temperatures. Going extreme on any side, whether too high or too low, can damage the batteries and increase their deterioration rate. Like other objects, batteries need to be in moderate environments. Being in an extra-hot vehicle or in a freezing environment is detrimental to their health. 

Maintenance and Care 

Maintenance is crucial for battery health. You should frequently check the battery’s status and conduct maintenance routines like cleaning terminals and using proper charging techniques to improve their efficiency and extend their lifetime. You can also reduce the degradation rate by conducting software updates, charging and discharging suitably, and checking the health regularly. 

Tips To Extend Electric Vehicle Battery Life 

Avoid parking the car in high-temperature areas. When parking a vehicle, Park in a shaded area to avoid draining the batteries through excessive heat. Exposing your EV to direct sunlight is detrimental to its batteries because the heat drains the batteries when they are not connected to power. 

Reduce fast charging, as it pushes the batteries to high currents, causing stress. Charging your batteries consistently through normal charging can extend the battery capacity up to 10%. Therefore, if you care about your battery’s health, limit the number of times you use a fast charger. 

Optimal charge for long storage helps enhance battery life. In an event you plan to store your vehicle for a long time, use a time charger to ensure the battery is between 25%-75% charged. Letting it discharge to zero or charging it up to a hundred percent when stored can ruin its health. 

Avoid charging the battery to 100%. It is wrong to charge batteries up to their full capacity or allow them to deplete fully. Charging the battery to its full capacity powers a device to its optimal limit but has long-term impacts, and it causes the batteries to decompose quickly. 

In conclusion, the global transition towards sustainable climate change has led to the innovation of electronic vehicles. This makes batteries crucial since EVS must use them. For EVs to function properly, they must have healthy batteries because they determine their functionality, performance, and life span. To maintain EV battery health, you should follow the manufacturer’s guidelines step by step. Due to the complex technology and functionality, technicians have to regularly inspect the batteries to detect an issue early and take proactive action. To maintain EV battery health, follow the right charging and driving patterns, avoid exposing them to extreme temperatures, and maintain them regularly.