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    Battery

    A battery is the heart of electric cars and there is a need to learn about the technology behind it to understand the complete scope of EVs. This section deals with the latest advancements in battery technology.

    Tesla BYD Blade Battery

    Tesla Battery (4680) vs BYD Blade Battery – Comparison

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    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

    Vehicle To Load EVs

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

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    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.

    EV Battery Fireproof

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

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    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.