Are you an engineer for the EV sector? Make batteries your top priority

Manufacturing

Dec 18

Electric vehicles (EVs) are close to breaking a new barrier. Selling one million units by the end of 2023! If reached, the milestone would be a first for the electric car industry on North American soil. By now, even the most vocal naysayers must acknowledge EV’s rising—and seemingly unstoppable—popularity in the modern car market.

How are EV manufacturers influenced by this blatant preference from customers?

From where they stand, there are two clear challenges ahead to keep going up in the rankings:

One is operational and connected with the motivation to sustain production quotas based on demand.
The other lies in the willingness to take current designs to a new frontier. To move in this direction, automotive engineers need to free up their creativity to work on improvements and create new features. Their steps may once again redefine the car industry as a whole.

As we move to new global energy strategies built around decarbonization, in the electric car design landscape, there’s no bigger mountain to climb than enhancing battery performance. The engineers that work in this area have a winning opportunity to boost their career with battery expertise

Let’s see why.

Why are batteries such a hot topic for the still-emerging electric car industry?

Unlike a gas-powered car, where the battery is only needed to start the engine and run the lights and other accessories, the battery is the heart of the electric car. It powers the entire EV system, determining its performance, range, and environmental impact.

A single EV battery contains hundreds or thousands of individual cells, arranged in modules and packs. They work together to provide the required voltage and current for the vehicle.

EV batteries can be recharged using traditional or green energy sources, including renewable energy. Thus helping to cut fossil fuel dependence. Since they are made from minerals, they are among the most expensive components of an electric vehicle.

Electric car battery technologies for the future

EV battery technology sets the precedent for how well the car will function in terms of mileage, longevity, and efficiency.

Current models heavily rely on the use of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) in the cathode section. On the anode side, graphite or silicon oxide are most commonly used.

Lithium is a scarce mineral. The largest world reserves are in Bolivia and Argentina. The biggest producers are China, Chile, and Canada. Finding an alternative solution is a pressing matter.

Here are four EV battery technologies that engineers should explore in detail to advance their careers while enhancing car performance, safety, and affordability ahead of lithium limitations:

Solid-state batteries. They replace the liquid electrolyte in conventional LIBs with a solid material, such as ceramics, to increase the energy density, reduce charging time, and enhance safety.

Aluminum-ion batteries. Switching lithium for aluminum is a choice worth exploring. Why? Aluminum is a far more abundant resource, so it should be a cheaper manufacturing option. Aluminum-ion batteries may also offer faster charging and longer cycle life than LIBs.

Metal-air batteries. By metal, I mean zinc, iron, or aluminum. This combo can be tricky. It can have the benefits of high energy density and low cost but also have strong drawbacks, such as low power density and poor durability. Maybe it can be ideal for a low-scale or range mobility application?

Sodium-ion batteries. Sodium instead of lithium—what do you think about that? They could be a viable alternative to LIBs for large-scale applications such as grid storage. Of course, technology-wise, there are issues to overcome, such as low energy density and high operating temperatures.

What global aspects are at play in EV battery manufacturing?

Unsurprisingly, battery manufacturing poses a significant weight for the EV sector. Safety, mine development partnerships, and mineral selection according to the application are huge topics of discussion in electric car battery manufacturing.

Safety first is the compromise for manufacturers

By now, most of us have heard about the battery fire issues caused by quality defects or overheating. News outlets have extensively covered them. Some even went viral on social media. Great concern was raised since EV batteries burn longer and at higher temperatures. Special training is necessary to handle high-voltage batteries and extinguish fire.

Thermal management solutions, such as heat-conducting pastes or cooling systems, to regulate the temperature of the battery cells can be a solution to prevent safety issues. Joining techniques, such as riveting or adhesive bonding, can avoid damaging the sensitive cells with heat or welding splatter.

The pressure is on design and plant teams to implement quality control measures that remove these occurrences. Upgraded inspection mechanisms, traceability solutions, and data analytics are tools at hand to detect and correct any faults or deviations in the production process.

Mining for raw materials

Another contentious issue in the EV battery industry is raw material availability. Manufacturers are pursuing an aggressive mining plan to secure the mineral resources needed to build the batteries. If not approached in a proper manner, this accelerated program is likely to come at the expense of ferocious deforestation, high water consumption, toxic waste generation, and labor exploitation.

Companies are using different strategies to avoid mineral shortages. For example, Tesla obtains its lithium supply from Piedmont Lithium, a producer. However, when it comes to nickel, Tesla has signed a direct partnership with a Goro mine operator in New Caledonia.

Because of that explosive background, EV battery manufacturers must align and follow a path that allows them to stay true to the technology’s intent of delivering a clean energy mobility solution for the world without heinous environmental impact.

Conclusion

Modern consumers are a lot smarter about what they buy and who they buy it from. Millennials and Gen Z seek greener and cheaper mobility alternatives. With other generations getting older, they are the ones who can position electric vehicles as an equal or bigger option than gas-engine cars in the future.

In response, EV engineers of today should focus on presenting solutions that truly deliver in terms of sustainability, quality, and affordability. By mastering this selective niche, they can be trailblazers in a small industry that, by 2035, could be selling 7.6 million battery units and total EV vehicle sales of 51.6 million.

From what we’ve seen, improving electric car batteries (from raw materials to working mechanisms) has an impact on those three parameters. So it should be the number one priority for the legacy and widespread use of the technology.

My company, Verdusco Consulting, can help you use automation to get the most out of your EV battery design and manufacturing processes. In return, you’ll prevent hazards, avoid downtime, and boost quality.

If any of this interests you, contact me at: