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Electric Car Battery 101: All You Need to Know

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The electric car derives power from a big battery pack (unlike the fossil fuels that drive the traditional internal combustion engine.) This battery is akin to a scaled-up version of the lithium-ion battery juicing up your mobile phone.  

Curious to know how these battery cells power up an electric vehicle?
How about
the driving range for one charge of these batteries

We’ll answer that and more – from the inner workings of an electric car battery to whether the EV battery can be recycled

This Article Contains: 

Let’s get started. 

How Does an Electric Car Battery Work?

An electric vehicle battery (also known as EVB or EV battery) is a rechargeable battery installed in a vehicle to power its electric motor, which drives the car’s wheels. That said, an electric vehicle doesn’t use a single car battery but has a battery pack composed of thousands of individual battery cells working together. 

When an electric car is charging, the electricity leads to chemical changes inside these battery cells. And once the vehicle is on the road, this chemical energy is reversed to produce electricity. 

The entire process takes place using different electrical components that include: 

Electric car batteries differ from regular SLI (start, lighting, and ignition) batteries as they are deep-cycle batteries designed to supply power over sustained periods. An EV battery pack also has a high power-to-weight ratio, which means these are lighter batteries that help reduce the weight of your vehicle and improve its performance. 

Electric motors in such vehicles also work as generators, allowing them to utilize regenerative braking. 

What’s that?
When you release the throttle or hit the brakes, the car slows down by converting its forward motion back to electricity. This regenerative braking allows the otherwise lost energy to be stored back into the battery and improves the car’s range. 

Most electric car batteries are lithium-ion batteries designed for high electric charge capacity. But there are other types as well.
Let’s take a look.

4 Types of Electric Car Batteries 

Here are some typical electric car batteries you’ll find:

A. Lithium-Ion Batteries

The lithium-ion battery pack (or simply lithium battery) is commonly used in electric vehicles and other portable electronics. Lithium is one of its primary battery minerals. However, the battery chemistry utilizes lithium ions from a lithium-metal oxide instead of elemental lithium metal. 

A lithium-ion battery cell has a higher energy density than a lead-acid or nickel-cadmium battery, allowing it to occupy less space and reduce the overall battery pack size. 

The lithium battery is also safer, offering better battery health, high-temperature performance, and low self-discharge. But, a lithium-ion battery pack can be quite expensive due to the high cost of battery minerals like cobalt. 

B. Nickel Metal Hydride Batteries

Nickel metal hydride batteries have a longer life than lead-acid batteries and are safer. These batteries are typically found in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs).

However, these are expensive. They’re also characterized by high self-discharge and heat generation at high temperatures. 

C. Lead Acid Batteries

The lead acid battery is designed to offer high power and is usually inexpensive, safe, and reliable. 

However, a lead acid battery offers low specific energy, poor cold temperature performance, and shorter battery life.

D. Solid-State Batteries

The solid-state battery replaces a liquid electrolyte battery chemistry with solid battery materials like plastic polymer, compacted inorganic powders, or a mix of both. These materials help increase the energy density and stability of the battery and offer better temperature control. However, the solid-state battery is still in the prototype stage. 

Now you know the different battery types available.
But how much does charging an electric vehicle battery cost?

How Much Does It Cost To Charge an Electric Car?

If you’re charging your electric car at a public charging point, the cost will depend on the charge point network and the location. 

Several local authorities follow a pay-per-session approach for on-street charging points. You can also use some charging stations for free if you have a network subscription. 

The charging cost will vary depending on the power rating and whether it’s a slow charging, fast charging, or rapid charging point. Charging your EV at a commercial charging station can cost between $10 and $30 per charge when using a Level 3 supercharger. A Level 2 charging station can cost $1 to $5 an hour. 

Naturally, when you invest in an expensive electric vehicle, you’d want to know how long its battery will last. 

How Long Does an Electric Car Battery Last? 

As EV battery technology improves, car manufacturers warrant that a lithium-ion battery cell can last well for eight years or 160,000 km. Some estimates also suggest that the EV battery life is around 10-20 years. And even though an electric battery module will eventually lose its ability to hold a full charge, it won’t fail altogether. Instead, it’ll lose its energy storage capacity gradually over time. 

That said, any electric vehicle running in extremely hot climates will suffer battery degradation faster than in cooler areas. To counter this, today, cars with lithium-ion batteries come with liquid-cooled battery module packs. 

Electric car batteries are also buffered, meaning a driver can’t use the full power stored in the electric battery cell. This helps reduce the number of charge cycles, safeguarding battery health and adding more years to the battery life. 

Now, let’s answer a few electric vehicle battery questions you might have.

5 Electric Car Battery FAQS

Here are the answers to some common car battery related questions: 

1. What Are The Different Types of Electric Vehicles?

Electric vehicle options include: 

2. How Far Can One Battery Charge Go?

Unfortunately, there’s no definitive answer to this question.  The driving range on a single charge will depend on factors like:

The battery capacity of an electric vehicle is measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh). Typically, a 40kWh battery pack can power a vehicle for 150 miles, while Tesla’s 100kWh battery is good for 375 miles.

3. How Much Does Electric Car Battery Replacement Cost? 

If you’re worried about replacing your expensive electric car battery, you shouldn’t. 

An electric car battery manufacturer usually provides a warranty of up to eight years or 160,000 km. Car manufacturers will also replace your car battery for free if it’s still under warranty. 

But if it’s not and you still need to replace it for unforeseen reasons, the estimated battery cost as of 2022 was around $153 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of battery capacity.

4. Which Popular Companies Produce Electric Car Batteries? 

LG Energy Solution is a leading battery manufacturer of lithium batteries in the EV battery production sphere.

The company produces them in a joint venture with General Motors, Ford, and the Hyundai Motor Group of South Korea. Other EV battery production companies include Panasonic, Envision AESC, and BYD. 

5. Are Electric Car Batteries Fit For Recycling? 

Short answer — yes. 

Once removed from the car, most electric car batteries can be repurposed for other jobs like energy storage in the electricity network, home, or workplace. In fact, factories involved in battery production could help with battery recycling. Repurposed batteries can power these plants. 

When batteries reach the end of their working life, they can also undergo recycling at a battery plant to extract materials and reintroduce valuable minerals, such as cobalt, copper, aluminum, etc., back into the battery supply chain.  

As per the International Energy Agency (IEA), the world can recycle 180,000 metric tons of used EV battery materials annually.

Wrapping Up

Electric cars look to be the future of passenger vehicles. Major car makers, like General Motors, are invested in developing their EV technology as emission laws evolve and sustainability becomes an indelible factor.

However, if your vehicle is one with an internal combustion engine and it’s giving you trouble, AutoNation Mobile Service can help you. 

We’re available 7 days a week, and our repairs come with a 12-month | 12,000-mile warranty.
Contact us, and our mechanics will drop by to fix your ride, right in your driveway!