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Are Chargers at DC Fast Charging Stations Bad For EVs?

The most common question among EV owners is whether charging electric cars at public DC fast charging stations is bad for the battery’s health. With the exponential rise in EV sales, particularly over the last couple of years, there are tons of questions about the technology. Charging techniques are critical to electric cars which is where this question stems from. You might also like: Tesla Battery (4680) vs BYD Blade Battery – Comparison DC Fast Charging Stations EV owners mostly approach a DC fast charging station when they are on a highway. That is where the need to charge the EV at the fastest rate arises. DC fast charging (or Level 3 charging) could be anywhere between 50 kW to 350 kW. High-end cars support charging capacities up to 350 kW typically topping up the battery healthy to 80% within 20-30 mins. This is because the DC directly charges the battery while AC needs to be converted to DC first. DC charging is a bit expensive. AC charging (Level 1 and Level 2 charging) is mostly found in homes, shopping malls and parking lots. It could be between 3 kW to 11 kW. Depending on the model and manufacturer, AC power tops up the battery in 6 to 15 hours. That is the most common way of charging EVs where one could plug them in during the night. Also, that is the cheapest way to charge EVs. You might also like: Can Electric Car Batteries Be Replaced or Swapped? Types of DC Chargers Depending on the country you live in, there are three main types of DC fast chargers – CHAdeMO, CCS (Combined Charging System) and Tesla Superchargers. CHAdeMO is mainly found in Asian cars in the USA, while CCS is common in Europe. Tesla Superchargers are exclusive to Tesla EVs. However, they can also use the other two types of chargers using an auxiliary adapter. Coming to whether charging via DC fast charger regularly could impact the health of the battery, the simple answer is YES. Lithium-ion batteries get degraded faster when charged using a DC fast charger for prolonged periods. But it must be mentioned that the rate of degradation is not significantly high compared to using an AC charger. That is because one would normally still use AC power at home. The instances of using DC power are not that frequent. You might also like: Is Electric Car Battery Safe, Fireproof, Waterproof and Short Circuit Proof? In conclusion, we would like to suggest that the best way to charge the EV is via AC power at home. The next best option is at your workplace using AC power, if possible. Charging using DC power must be strictly restricted to emergency scenarios only. For instance, while planning a long trip on a highway, DC charging makes sense as you would need to quickly recharge the battery and get a move on. Needless to say, it is a more expensive option owing to the convenience it offers.

Electric Car Batteries Swapped or Replaced

Can Electric Car Batteries Be Replaced or Swapped?

Battery / By LEC Team

With the EV trend becoming a reality, it becomes critical to know the basics of maintenance related to your electric cars. Is it possible for the electric car batteries to be replaced or swapped? Since the adoption rate of electric cars is still minuscule compared to their internal combustion engine-powered counterparts, there are myriad queries related to them. The batteries, charging characteristics, and range anxiety continue to pose hurdles in the mass adoption of EVs. While the benefits of shifting to EVs might be quite understandable and logical, the actual implementation is enveloped in quandary and uncertainty. The aim of this article is to dispel some myths surrounding electric car batteries. You might also like: Tesla Battery (4680) vs BYD Blade Battery – Comparison Can The Electric Car Batteries Be Swapped or Replaced? Let us try to understand this by using a familiar analogy. In the case of traditional vehicles, the engines and their components are fixed, while the fuel is needed to be filled regularly. Similarly, the electric motors on the electric cars are fixed, but the batteries that feed power to those motors could be removed or swapped, if need be, Generally, the batteries are placed underneath the floor of the vehicle and charged on a regular basis just like your smartphones, tablets or laptops. However, with the limited charging infrastructure available in most countries and high charging times associated with EVs, people always have this range anxiety about what would happen if their EVs run out of charge on a highway. But there is a solution that might not be widespread in the personal mobility space. In the commercial electric vehicle fleet across various markets, there is the practice of swapping the batteries of the car. You might also like: Is Electric Car Battery Safe, Fireproof, Waterproof and Short Circuit Proof? How Is It Achieved? The delivery companies, for instance, have huge warehouses where the entire fleet of their delivery vehicles is parked. There is sufficient charging infrastructure there too where the vehicles could even be charged using the regular AC chargers overnight. There is a provision for removing batteries from electric vehicles, especially commercial vans. The battery that has been charged overnight is used in the morning. It could suffice the entire day while the other battery is being charged in the meanwhile. You might also like: What Is Vehicle To Load (V2L) & Which EVs Have This Feature? If there is an issue with the battery that is being operated or it runs out of juice, one could simply visit the warehouse and swap the discharged battery for a recharged one in a matter of minutes. The battery packs are compact and could be easily placed in their designated slot in the EV. The battery that is taken out could directly be taken to the charging station and the refuelling time (essentially) be reduced to the time taken to replace the two batteries. This would ensure that the operations are not halted because of charging times and productivity will enhance due to the element of predictability that is achieved by this method. Slowly and steadily, with the prices of batteries coming down in the future, this solution could be utilised for personal use too. This technique is being practised even today by big companies that use electric vehicles for commercial purposes.

Tesla Battery (4680) vs BYD Blade Battery – Comparison

Battery / By LEC Team

The Tesla 4680 battery and BYD Blade battery are two of the most technologically advanced options for EVs out there and various carmakers around the world use these. Tesla 4680 and BYD Blade battery are competing to outperform each other with distinctive features. The electric car scenario is playing out quite aggressively across the globe. Tesla is the biggest auto giant in the space, while the BYD is an upcoming worthy Chinese competitor. Tesla might have taken a lead in comparison to everyone, but the EV market is still in its nascent stage and there are myriad modern players and startups coming up. Not to mention, the traditional carmakers have been relentlessly working to upgrade themselves to adopt the inevitable. In this post, we shall take a deep dive into the comparison between Tesla’s battery (the upcoming 4680) and BYD’s popular Blade battery. You might also like: Is Electric Car Battery Safe, Fireproof, Waterproof and Short Circuit Proof? Tesla Battery (4680) Tesla is currently using NCA (Nickel-Cobalt-Aluminium) battery chemistry to power its range of products in North America. The battery cells are being produced by Panasonic in Tesla’s Gigafactory in Nevada. However, to keep the costs in check and reduce the use of Cobalt and Nickel, it is planning to switch to LFP (Lithium-Iron (Ferrous)-Phosphate) chemistry that powers Teslas in the Chinese, European and Asian markets already. There are quite a few benefits associated with LFP batteries. Benefits of using LFP Batteries This includes things like being much safer in terms of stability and explosiveness, reduction in the use of Cobalt and Nickel that are generally produced unethically, having environmental issues for being less recycle-friendly, and being much cheaper than the NCA or NMC (Nickel-Manganese-Cobalt), no issues with overcharging even in the long run. Cons of LFP Batteries The only downside is the less energy density. This translates to a lower range even with the same weight and packaging specifications. But Tesla has been infamous for changing the prices of its products in the U.S. frequently. Switching to LPF batteries would ensure better profit margins for the company. You might also like: What Is Vehicle To Load (V2L) & Which EVs Have This Feature? Tesla 4680 Battery Cells Back in 2020, Tesla had also announced a unique technology known as the 4680 battery cells. 4680 is derived from the dimensions of the cells; 46 mm x 80 mm. These dimensions are larger than the 2170 cells that Tesla uses in its vehicles currently. However, the upgradation to the beefier battery cells will bring additional benefits including a 16% increase in range, 5x more energy capacity, and a 14% reduction in cost per kWh. While these may be tall claims, the implementation is rather complicated. It was announced back in 2020 but the production hurdles and other issues have prevented it from actually being present in the cars today. We shall have to wait a bit longer to experience the 4680 battery cells in production cars. BYD Blade Battery The Chinese EV giant, BYD has stormed into the market with a ton of impressive products already, beginning to capture the international markets. EVs like BYD Han and Tang are already establishing a loyal customer base for themselves in the international markets. However, BYD’s Blade battery has gained tremendous traction from industry experts and customers alike. The Blade battery also uses the LFP chemistry but there are some unique and trademark features that set it apart from the regular LFP batteries that most manufacturers use. Features of BYD Batteries BYD implements its 26 years of experience in battery development to come up with this innovative technology. It has been using the Blade battery in its electric cars since last year (2021). The cells of this battery are large in size having a higher capacity than the regular cells. LFP cells, in general, don’t produce oxygen as the by-product of the reaction making them much safer and fireproof. The battery cells are arranged in such a way that it creates a mechanical disconnect between the cells so that even in case of an emergency or unfortunate scenario, the cells don’t propagate fire. There is no need to create modules for cells making the battery packaging efficient. Nail Penetration Test A significant testament to the safety of the Blade battery could be established using the Nail Penetration Test, which is the standard test to determine to quality, safety and strength of a battery. As the name suggests, a nail is penetrated through the surface of the battery. In this test, it was recorded that the battery neither emitted neither smoke, nor fire, and the surface temperature only reached 30 to 60-degree Celsius. The regular LFP battery, in the same test, reached temperatures upto 200 to 400-degree Celsius but didn’t catch fire. Under extreme test conditions, like being crushed, bent, heated in a furnace at 300-degree Celsius and overcharge by 260%, didn’t cause the battery to catch fire. Many major carmakers in the world are approaching BYD to use the Blade Battery in their cars to enjoy the price benefits associated with it. More importantly, the safety and recycling nature of these cells makes it an enticing proposition for the mass-market entry-level electric cars in various global markets. Hence, Tesla and BYD Blade battery setups make for an enticing proposition with distinct pros and cons. You might also like: Are Electric Car Chargers Universal – Types of Chargers

What Is Vehicle To Load (V2L) & Which EVs Have This Feature?

Battery / By LEC Team

The latest EVs come equipped with Vehicle To Load (V2L) technology which could be a crucial factor to consider before buying an electric car. As a result of the relentless innovation with modern EVs, a feature like Vehicle To Load (V2L) is becoming quite prevalent and necessary. The industry experts and potential customers alike are constantly struggling with the range anxiety associated with electric cars. However, the V2L function deals with, essentially, the opposite end of the spectrum in that it allows external appliances to get charged with your EV as the power source. You might also like: Are Electric Car Chargers Universal – Types of Chargers What is Vehicle To Load (V2L)? V2L represents the bidirectional electric power flow using the battery of the EV. While it stores the energy that is supplied to it while charging, the V2L feature allows it to discharge it using an adapter to power external appliances like a mini-fridge, smartphone, laptops, electric water kettle, etc. In its future applications, the adapters and EVs with high power output capabilities can even power entire households. This is termed as Vehicle To Home (V2H). The software of some EVs support this feature which allows the DC power to get converted into AC power and used in external appliances. These adapters are capable of outputting 2.3 kW to 3.6 kW. You need to make sure that your EV comes with the adapter to utilize the V2L function. In some EVs, one is required to buy this adapter separately. You might also like: Is Electric Car Battery Safe, Fireproof, Waterproof and Short Circuit Proof? Applications of V2L A common environment where something like the V2L technology would certainly find massive application is on camping trips. People travel to remote areas for weekend getaways. In such scenarios where you are a bit far away from the civilisation, you could use your EV to power lights, chargers, speakers, coffee makers, etc. EVs have the build-in feature to stop charging external appliances if the battery gets below 20% to ensure that you get back comfortably. Most importantly, V2L could be used to power another EV that might be, unfortunately, stranded on the road for any reason. If someone runs out of range and the nearest charging station is just a few miles away, an EV with V2L can jack up the stranded vehicle to lend it a few miles to get to safety. Arguably, this could also be a major application of this feature. You might also like: Electric Car vs Gas Car – Why To Upgrade? Which EVs Have V2L Feature? There are not too many EVs in the market at the moment that come with this feature. MG ZS EV is one such car that is quite popular in the UK. For the U.S. market, the Korean car marquees, Hyundai and Kia offer the V2L feature in their respective EVs, the Ioniq 5 and EV6. The EGMP (Electric Global Modular Platform) supports V2L and the future products spawning out of it would definitely feature it. This platform also underpins the other brands under Hyundai Motor Group like Kia and Genesis. The upcoming Ford F-150 Lightning could also come equipped with this feature as it is a lifestyle pickup truck which is often involved in activities like towing and camping excursions. Something like V2L or V2H (in future) ought to come naturally to the iconic pickup trucks that are about to go electric.

Is Electric Car Battery Safe, Fireproof, Waterproof and Short Circuit Proof?

Battery / By LEC Team

The electric car battery is the most crucial component of any EV and hence, its safe, fireproof, waterproof and short circuit proof nature needs to be ascertained. How safe, fireproof, waterproof and short circuit proof is the battery of your electric car? Well, it is a pressing issue that a ton of potential electric car buyers struggle with. And it is a valid concern too. With the immediate future of mobility belonging to electric cars alone, one must be aware of the strength and behaviour of batteries to establish a smooth ownership experience of an electric car. Is Your Electric Car Battery Safe, Fireproof, Waterproof and Short Circuit Proof? While the battery technology in automobiles may be new, the R&D by the giant automakers regarding every single aspect of a vehicle is not. Hence, they have taken into consideration all the aspects of battery usage. This includes rigorous and thorough testing under all weather conditions, across various terrains, in different driving and traffic conditions, in battery charging scenarios, etc. While designing the battery, the strength is taken into account. The placement of the battery is also done in such a way that during unfortunate incidents, it doesn’t get destroyed hurting the passengers. There is an imminent danger of a short circuit since a battery is nothing but a group of cells placed together. But there are fireproof materials placed between the cells to prevent that from happening. Also, the battery pack is concealed in a fireproof and waterproof cover/module. On the outside where the charging socket of a car is located, the charging doesn’t begin until a few internal tests have been done to ensure that no water, moisture or dirt is detected in the socket or the charger. Once it is established that everything is in order, the charging of a car commences. Such basic procedure has been followed extensively by all carmakers. Nail Penetration Test The nail penetration test is done to stimulate an internal short circuit in the battery of an electric vehicle. It measures the temperature rise within the battery when a nail is penetrated through the battery surface, simulating damage in the event of deformation due to a crash. Batteries that pass that test prove that even in case of emergencies, the battery will not explode. Just like the safety ratings of a regular car, this test is the benchmark to rate the safety of the battery pack of an EV. With time, more such tests will become standardised to ensure homologation and road legality. With the constant advancement and research in battery technology, things are only bound to improve further. As a matter of fact, there are plenty of new materials, techniques, and processes that would come up as every automaker shifts toward electrification. Then we would witness even more modern solutions to battery-related issues. So, to answer the question, the batteries in EVs ARE waterproof, fireproof, short circuit proof and safe.

Battery

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