Everything you need to know about high-power battery cells

Different types of battery cells 

Read more about lithium-ion batteries: https://verkor.com/en/everything-you-need-to-know-about-lithium-ion-batteries/

What do we mean by EV battery voltage, performance and power?

• The operating voltage (expressed in volts) of a battery is the pressure that pushes the lithium-ions out of the negative electrode to migrate to the positive electrode. Lithium-ion NMC (nickel-manganese-cobalt)/graphite batteries have a nominal voltage range of between 3.5 and 3.7 volts. The total voltage of the entire battery system of an electric vehicle is from 400 to 800 volts.

The performance of a battery is the initial branch covering the battery’s essential characteristics:

• • Energy density: the energy delivered in proportion to the weight or volume of the battery cell. Energy density is often inversely proportional to the power the battery can deliver.
  • Durability: is the number of charge/discharge cycles the battery can withstand before its initial performance deteriorates. The longevity of the battery depends on the frequency of these cycles.
  • Safety: the cell is designed to ensure optimal safety by balancing the chemicals and the safety mechanisms used in the cells, modules and battery system. Car manufacturers carry out more safety testing than necessary to approve their batteries, going regulatory requirements.
  • Power is characteristic a battery’s performance. What about high-power battery cells?

Everything you need to know about high-power battery cells

Power refers to the speed at which the battery is charged and discharged.

In addition to choosing the appropriate chemistry (LFP, NMC, etc.), the cell can be designed in different ways (depending on the electrode, internal design, etc.) in order to meet different objectives:

• • Good volumetric energy density: the battery stores a maximum amount of energy in the smallest volume possible, resulting in better range.
  • Optimal power density: the battery will deliver maximum power. Its energy density may be lower, but with less internal resistance, the battery can charge and discharge faster. The unit of power is the Watt (W).

With its optimised internal design and electrodes, the pouch is the best format for Verkor’s batteries to achieve these two objectives.

What are the advantages of high-power battery cells?

• • Driving pleasure: the cell is particularly low-resistance, which means that it can deliver high power density over a long period of time and can withstand peaks in power without heating up. EVs generally have more torque than ICE cars.
  • Fast charge: batteries with high-power cells can be just about fully charge in under 20 minutes — the time needed to stop for a break when driving long distance.

All these characteristics are important to all models of vehicles, and in particular sports cars. One of these is the electric “Alpine” sports car by Renault, Verkor’s first client.

What are the applications for Verkor’s high-power battery cells?

Verkor covers all kinds of applications: from privately-owned vehicles (our focus) to commercial vehicles and stationary energy systems, by delivering high-power, low-carbon and durable batteries.

Verkor develops large pouch and cylindrical cells to address the needs of car and equipment manufacturers, and power utilities.

There are more applications. Verkor is designing a range of cylindrical cells to support the electric transition of players in heavy mobility — an industry that requires battery cells with more scalability. This category includes commercial light vehicles, medium-duty trucks, electric buses, industrial and speciality vehicles. These cells are smaller and easier to stack into modular battery packs.

–

By focusing on high-performance cells from the outset, Verkor has chosen versatility. If you can move mountains, you can move molehills. Verkor’s battery cells will aim for maximum performance, or reduce the range of use in order to increase the lifespan of its batteries for intensive applications (industrial and commercial). Another step towards a more sustainable world.