A comprehensive review of lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles and energy-storage systems offers a valuable resource for researchers in this area, according to the authors writing in the International Journal of Vehicle Information and Communication Systems.
Electric vehicles (EVs) are an important part of sustainable personal transport as we try to move from a world drive on fossil fuels to one powered by solar, wind, and other renewables. Lithium-ion batteries continue to play a vital role in the ongoing success of EVs, and will do so until an even better alternative storage technology is developed.
Mandar Maruti Bidwe and Swanand Gajanan Kulkarni of the SKN Sinhgad College of Engineering in Korti, Pandharpur, Maharashtra, India, conducted a detailed review of the research literature covering the period 2010 to 2022. They hope that their work will shine headlights on the lithium-ion battery roadmap and help researchers navigate the terrain towards future sustainable of electric transportation and energy storage.
The team’s review looked at various aspects of lithium-ion battery technology and shows that it is important to understanding the diverse materials used in different types of battery and the impact these material choices have on performance, lifetime, and sustainability. The team explains that materials such as lithium cobalt oxide offer high energy density but are hindered by limited availability and lower thermal stability. By contrast, materials such as lithium iron phosphate are much safer and longer-lasting, but do not necessarily have the energy density some applications demand.
There is an ongoing need to model the behaviour of different types of battery in order to develop technology that optimises battery performance and management systems without too much compromise in terms of sustainability and resource safety and ethics. The review points to various papers that have focused on such models and assesses which might be used to best effect by researchers. This is critical given that challenges exist, not least in terms of the recycling and sustainability. The team points to several research gaps in these areas that could help focus efforts.
Research into lithium-ion batteries is multidisciplinary and given its central role in the electrification of transport it will be a focus for several years yet. This review offers waymarkers on the roadmap for research and development.
Bidwe, M.M. and Kulkarni, S.G. (2024) ‘Lithium-ion battery: a review’, Int. J. Vehicle Information and Communication Systems, Vol. 9, No. 2, pp.135–163.