The most common causes of electric vehicle (EV) battery degradation are primarily related to external environmental factors, charging habits, and the natural chemical aging process inside the battery. These causes include:
Temperature Effects
- Extreme temperatures, both high and low, significantly impact battery health. High temperatures accelerate chemical reactions within the battery, causing faster degradation. Low temperatures reduce the battery’s ability to accept and hold charge efficiently, leading to performance loss.
- Prolonged exposure to very cold conditions (below 20°F) can temporarily reduce driving range by up to 40% due to decreased battery efficiency.
Charging Practices
- Frequent use of DC fast charging (Level 3 charging) can accelerate battery degradation. Fast charging raises battery temperature and stresses the cells more than slower charging methods, thus speeding up degradation especially when used regularly.
- Routinely charging from nearly empty (close to zero state of charge) to full can exacerbate degradation, as deep discharge cycles strain the battery chemistry more.
- To mitigate degradation, experts recommend maintaining the battery charge between about 60% and 80% and minimizing reliance on fast charging.
Cycling and Chemical Aging
- Each charge-discharge cycle causes chemical changes inside the battery. Over time, these changes degrade the battery components and reduce capacity.
- The depth of discharge during each cycle (how much the battery is drained before recharging) influences degradation rate; deeper discharges accelerate aging.
Summary
EV battery degradation is mainly caused by:
- Continuous operation or charging in extreme temperatures without proper thermal management.
- Frequent DC fast charging which increases thermal and chemical stress.
- Deep discharging and repeated full charge cycles.
- Natural chemical reactions and aging over time due to cycling.
Modern EV batteries typically last over 10 years with appropriate care, but understanding and managing these factors can prolong battery life and maintain vehicle range.
This understanding aligns with insights from multiple expert sources, emphasizing temperature control, controlled charging habits, and avoiding deep discharge as key strategies to reduce degradation.
Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/what-are-the-most-common-causes-of-ev-battery-degradation/
