Fast Charging Technology Research Articles

Separator porous skeleton regulation dependency on lithium-ion and lithium-metal battery performances

Building separator porous skeletons that suit lithium-ion and lithium-metal batteries (LIBs and LMBs) remains challenging since battery assembly and operation degrade separator mechanical-chemical stabilities inevitably. To fabricate separators with industrial considerations and battery compatibility, herein, the effect of intrinsic porous skeletons on separator mechanical/chemical stabilities and subsequent LIB or LMB performances are clarified based on uncovering integrated porous skeleton formation mechanisms. Lamellae separation and slip dominate longitudinal drawing, severally generating inter-fibril defects and inner-fibril lamellae. Transverse drawing sequentially compels inter-fibril defects to split, which deflects inner-fibril lamellae and enlarges pores. Homogenized lamellae dispersions thus exhibit unique advantages, maximizing fibrous refinement and uniformizing porous skeletons. This superior porous skeleton with smoother linearity facilitates homogeneous Li+ fluxes, stabilizes Li plating-stripping, and enables improved battery performances, especially at high currents, indicating more suitable with high-power density batteries and fast charging technologies. The dependency clarifications of separator fabrication-structure-function lend theoretical guidance for fabricating and choosing ideal porous skeletons for not only LIBs and LMBs but also the other prospective rechargeable batteries.

Fast Charging Sodium‐Ion Full Cell Operated From −50 °C to 90 °C

AbstractThe application of sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) within grid‐scale energy storage systems (ESSs) critically hinges upon fast charging technology. However, challenges arise particularly with anodes such as hard carbon (HC), which exhibits a low working plateau (less than 0.1 V vs Na/Na+) and is susceptible to sodium dendrite issues under high current densities. In this study, a cost‐effective SIB system comprising Na2.4Fe1.8(SO4)3 (NFS) cathode, NaTi2(PO4)3 (NTP) anode, and ester‐based electrolyte is assembled to solve the fast‐charging obstacle. Benefiting from the fast sodium‐ion diffusion kinetics and relatively high voltage platform of NTP anode, this full cell can work for 10 000 cycles at 10 C rate with a notable capacity retention of 70.7%. Moreover, this investigation reveals that the full cell can operate safely between ‐50 to 90 °C even with an ester‐based electrolyte, thereby showcasing broad application prospects. This work provides a valuable guidance for designing fast charging and wide temperature SIBs.

Advancing sustainable development: Introducing a novel fast charging technique for Li-ion batteries with supercapacitor integration

Li-ion batteries play a vital role in today's world for their wide range of applications in electrical vehicles, mobile phones, electronic gadgets etc. Applying fast charging to Li-ion batteries is crucial for increasing consumer convenience, productivity, energy efficiency, and stimulating technical innovation across various industries. With the wide-spread usage of Li-ion batteries, it is critical to consider the environmental degradation caused by their decomposition. Therefore, solutions for fast charging Li-ion batteries must not only be reliable but also sustainable to meet future demands. This paper presents a novel Li-ion battery fast charging technology with an integrated supercapacitor and battery, for quick charging without shortening the battery's life cycle. The advantage of the proposed charger is that the supercapacitor assists the Li-ion battery while charging, thereby fast charging and improving the efficiency and longevity of the battery. The utilization of supercapacitor-assisted charging diminishes the burden on lithium-ion batteries, enhancing their lifespan and consequently reducing environmental harm. To validate the performance of the proposed charging technology, an experimental investigation has been carried out. The obtained results through the investigation show the increased performance of 82 % efficiency and 40 % longevity more than the conventional method. The proposed supercapacitor-based fast charging technique is not only efficient but also sustainable and reliable.

A Review on Advanced Battery Thermal Management Systems for Fast Charging in Electric Vehicles

To protect the environment and reduce dependence on fossil fuels, the world is shifting towards electric vehicles (EVs) as a sustainable solution. The development of fast charging technologies for EVs to reduce charging time and increase operating range is essential to replace traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are efficient energy storage systems in EVs. However, the efficiency of LIBs depends significantly on their working temperature range. However, the huge amount of heat generated during fast charging increases battery temperature uncontrollably and may lead to thermal runaway, which poses serious hazards during the operation of EVs. In addition, fast charging with high current accelerates battery aging and seriously reduces battery capacity. Therefore, an effective and advanced battery thermal management system (BTMS) is essential to ensure the performance, lifetime, and safety of LIBs, particularly under extreme charging conditions. In this perspective, the current review presents the state-of-the-art thermal management strategies for LIBs during fast charging. The serious thermal problems owing to heat generated during fast charging and its impacts on LIBs are discussed. The core part of this review presents advanced cooling strategies such as indirect liquid cooling, immersion cooling, and hybrid cooling for the thermal management of batteries during fast charging based on recently published research studies in the period of 2019–2024 (5 years). Finally, the key findings and potential directions for next-generation BTMSs toward fast charging are proposed. This review offers an in-depth analysis by providing recommendations and potential solutions to develop reliable and efficient BTMSs for LIBs during fast charging.

Exploring Electric Vehicle Patent Trends through Technology Life Cycle and Social Network Analysis

In response to environmental and energy challenges, electric vehicles (EVs) have re-emerged as a viable alternative to internal combustion engines. However, existing research lacks a comprehensive analysis of the technology life cycle of EVs in both global and South Korean contexts and offers limited strategic guidance. This study introduces a novel approach to address these gaps by integrating the S-curve model with social network analysis (SNA), time series analysis, and core applicant layouts. The study specifically utilizes the logistic curve to model technology growth. It applies SNA methods, including International Patent Classification (IPC) co-occurrence analysis and the betweenness centrality metric, to identify the stages of technological development and sustainable research directions for EVs. By analyzing patent data from 2004 to 2023, the study reveals that EV technologies have reached the saturation phase globally and in South Korea, with South Korea maintaining a two-year technological advantage. The research identifies sustainable research directions, including fast charging technology and charging infrastructure, battery monitoring and management, and artificial intelligence (AI) applications. Additionally, the study also determined the sustainability of these research directions by examining the sustainability challenges faced by EVs. These insights offer a clear view of EV technology trends and future directions, guiding stakeholders.

Investigation of 40 Ah Prismatic Batteries Operating Under Fast-Charge Conditions Using Operando Synchrotron XRD Technique

The pressing challenges posed by the energy crisis and the impact of climate change have forced a gradual replacement of traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) automobile powertrains with electrochemical energy storage devices. However, a boost of the electric vehicles (EVs) market, by significant battery performance enhancements are consistently required, primarily due to numerous persistent concerns. One of the key features targeted by battery and EVs industries is the rapid charging capability, making EVs more competitive with the quick refueling of traditional gasoline vehicles. Notably, despite the clear benefits of fast charging technology, the accelerated battery degradation after fast and extreme fast charging raises on top of the drawbacks of this technology. Therefore, understanding of heterogeneity and structural transformations within battery systems is of high interest.In this regard, we attempt to investigate the structural properties of a LiNi1/3Mn1/3Co1/3O2 (NMC111) /graphite fresh industrial prismatic cell using synchrotron XRD under fast charge conditions. The investigated battery is a PHEV cell with an experimental capacity of 40 Ah. It was taken from a range rover vehicle pack after being disassembled. The evolution of the composite anode and cathode structures was followed by operando wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS). Using this approach, we were able to measure and quantify the different phases of graphite and NMC111 lithiation/delithiation at various potentials by analyzing the corresponding Bragg peaks. By that, we were able to detect some heterogeneities in the degree of lithiation/delithiation within the cell upon charge. In addition, a comparison between a fresh cell and another aged cell, with a state of health (SOH) of 88%, was made in order to investigate the effect of aging under fast charging conditions on the performance of the industrial LIBs.

Impact of Fast-Charging Rates on Electrode Degradation in NMC/Gr Pouch Cells

With the rapid expansion of the electric vehicles market, fast charging lithium-ion batteries has become increasingly imperative and inevitable. However, as fast-charging technologies entering electric vehicle market, persistent challenges related to safety issue and cell degradation, such as lithium dendrite growth, thermal runaway etc. necessitate meticulous consideration. In this study, we investigated fast-charging rate effects on electrode degradation in 1.6 Ah pouch cells using LiNi0.5Mn 0.3Co 0.2O2 cathode and graphite anode provided by Nanoramic Laboratories. Our investigation involves a comparative analysis of the aging behavior of NMC/Gr cells subjected to various charging rates — 0.5C, 2C, 4C, and 6C. Notably, we observed that pouch cells charged at rates of 0.5C and 2C could persist 80% capacity retention over 1000 cycles while cells using 4C and 6C can survive no more than 400 cycles with 80% retention. Through a series of post-mortem characterizations, including electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), Raman, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), we scrutinized the harvested NMC and graphite electrodes. As expected, more dendrite formation was observed on graphite anodes with 4C and 6C fast charging rates. The deterioration of cell performance primarily resulted from the degradation of the graphite anode. This degradation could be attributed to distinct dendrite morphologies at the graphite anode under varying charging rates (see Fig. 1). In addition to dendrite formation on graphite electrodes, we observed more severe pulverization of NMC secondary particles under higher charging rates despite their lower cycle numbers. This investigation provides a comprehensive understanding of how NMC and graphite degrade under different charging rates, offering valuable insights into the practical impacts of charging rates on cell lifespan and highlighting potential challenges that need to be addressed.AcknowledgementThis material is based upon work supported by the U. S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) under the Advanced Manufacturing Office, award number DE-EE0009111. Argonne National Laboratory is operated for DOE Office of Science by UChicago Argonne, LLC under contract number DE-AC02-06CH11357 Figure 1

From Lab to Application: Challenges and Opportunities in Achieving Fast Charging with Polyanionic Cathodes for Sodium-Ion Batteries.

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs), recognized for balanced energy density and cost-effectiveness, are positioned as a promising complement to lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and a substitute for lead-acid batteries, particularly in low-speed electric vehicles and large-scale energy storage. Despite their extensive potential, concerns about range anxiety due to lower energy density underscore the importance of fast-charging technologies, which drives the exploration of high-rate electrode materials. Polyanionic cathode materials are emerging as promising candidates in this regard. However, their intrinsic limitation in electronic conductivity poses challenges for synchronized electron and ion transport, hindering their suitability for fast-charging applications. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of sodium ion migration during charging/discharging, highlighting it as a critical rate-limiting step for fast charging. By delving into intrinsic dynamics, key factors that constrain fast-charging characteristics are identified and summarized. Innovative modification routes are then introduced, with a focus on shortening migration paths and increasing diffusion coefficients, providing detailed insights into feasible strategies. Moreover, the discussion extends beyond half cells to full cells, addressing challenges and opportunities in transitioning polyanionic materials from the laboratory to practical applications. This review aims to offer valuable insights into the development of high-rate polyanionic cathodes, acknowledging their pivotal role in advancing fast-charging SIBs.

Advancing Electric Vehicle Infrastructure: A Review and Exploration of Battery-Assisted DC Fast Charging Stations

Concerns over fossil fuel depletion, fluctuating fuel prices, and CO2 emissions have accelerated the development of electric vehicle (EV) technologies. This article reviews advancements in EV fast charging technology and explores the development of battery-assisted DC fast charging stations to address the limitations of traditional chargers. Our proposed approach integrates battery storage, allowing chargers to operate independently of the electric grid by storing electrical energy during off-peak hours and releasing it during peak times. This reduces dependence on grid power and enhances grid stability. Moreover, the transformer-less, modular design of the proposed solution offers greater flexibility, scalability, and reduced installation costs. Additionally, the use of smart energy management systems, incorporating artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques to dynamically adjust charging rates, will be discussed to optimize efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Onboard in-situ warning and detection of Li plating for fast-charging batteries with deep learning

Accurate lithium plating detection and warning are essential for developing safer, longer cycle life, and faster charging batteries. However, it is difficult to in-situ detect lithium plating from the electrochemical signals without the introduction of sensors or reference electrodes. Here, we proposed an online lithium plating detection and warning method based on anode potential construction. By establishing a precise mapping relationship between battery voltage and three-electrode potential through deep learning, we can reconstruct the three-electrode curve of batteries accurately without introducing a reference electrode. So that lithium plating can be detected over the full life cycle of batteries with a positive rate of 99.9%. Furthermore, with the combination of the voltage prediction module, the future anode potential can be predicted and the lithium plating can be warned with a positive rate of 98.7%. Our approach provides a new possibility for the development of fast-charging technology and life extension strategies.

Navigating the Present and Future Dynamics of Electric Vehicle Fast Charging and its Impact on Grid

As electric vehicle (EV) adoption surges worldwide, the need for fast charging infrastructure becomes paramount. Fast charging technology alleviates range anxiety and bolsters EV practicality. This comprehensive analysis delves into current challenges and future prospects surrounding EV fast charging and its grid impact. Examining the state of fast charging technology, it scrutinizes charging standards, connector types, and power levels across global regions. Emphasis is placed on key market players and the imperative for interoperability and standardization to seamlessly integrate EVs into the power grid. Voltage fluctuations, harmonics, and power factor issues stemming from rapid, high-power charging pose technical hurdles. Solutions like advanced power electronics, grid management tactics, and enhanced communication between EVs and the grid are explored to uphold stability and power quality. Consideration is given to energy sources fueling fast chargers, including renewable integration and environmental repercussions. Economic facets, encompassing infrastructure deployment costs and grid upgrade analyses, are examined amidst escalating electricity demand and potential grid expansion needs. A forward-looking perspective addresses future challenges and opportunities. This includes advancements in battery tech, smart grid solutions, and bidirectional power flow potential between EVs and the grid. Index Terms: Battery electric vehicles (BEVs), Grid, Fast Charging, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs).

How different parameters affect fast charging of LiFePO4 batteries in electrical vehicles

This review paper provides a comprehensive analysis of electric vehicles (EVs) and the various factors influencing fast charging technology. The surge in EV adoption has necessitated advancements in charging infrastructure, particularly in fast charging solutions. We delve into the technical aspects of fast charging, including its impact on battery life, charging station architecture, power grid integration, and charging protocols. Moreover, we discuss the influence of battery chemistry, temperature management, and charging infrastructure on the efficacy of fast charging. By synthesizing current research findings and industry trends, this paper offers insights into the challenges and opportunities for enhancing fast charging efficiency and accessibility, thereby accelerating the widespread adoption of electric vehicles.

A Comprehensive Review of Developments in Electric Vehicles Fast Charging Technology

Electric vehicle (EV) fast charging systems are rapidly evolving to meet the demands of a growing electric mobility landscape. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of various fast charging techniques, advanced infrastructure, control strategies, and emerging challenges and future trends in EV fast charging. It discusses various fast charging techniques, including inductive charging, ultra-fast charging (UFC), DC fast charging (DCFC), Tesla Superchargers, bidirectional charging integration, and battery swapping, analysing their advantages and limitations. Advanced infrastructure for DC fast charging is explored, covering charging standards, connector types, communication protocols, power levels, and charging modes control strategies. Electric vehicle battery chargers are categorized into on-board and off-board systems, with detailed functionalities provided. The status of DC fast charging station DC-DC converters classification is presented, emphasizing their role in optimizing charging efficiency. Control strategies for EV systems are analysed, focusing on effective charging management while ensuring safety and performance. Challenges and future trends in EV fast charging are thoroughly explored, highlighting infrastructure limitations, standardization efforts, battery technology advancements, and energy optimization through smart grid solutions and bidirectional chargers. The paper advocates for global collaboration to establish universal standards and interoperability among charging systems to facilitate widespread EV adoption. Future research areas include faster charging, infrastructure improvements, standardization, and energy optimization. Encouragement is given for advancements in battery technology, wireless charging, battery swapping, and user experience enhancement to further advance the EV fast charging ecosystem. In summary, this paper offers valuable insights into the current state, challenges, and future directions of EV fast charging, providing a comprehensive examination of technological advancements and emerging trends in the field.

Battery Electric Vehicles: Travel Characteristics of Early Adopters

Do U.S. households with battery electric vehicles (BEVs) drive less or more than U.S. households with internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs)? Answering this question is important to policymakers and transportation planners concerned with reducing vehicle miles traveled and the emissions of greenhouse gases from transportation. So far, this question has not been answered satisfactorily, possibly because of the relatively low number of EVs in the U.S. until recently, but also because of methodological issues. In this paper, we aim to fill this gap by analyzing data from the 2017 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS). We apply propensity score matching (PSM), a quasi-experimental method, to examine the differences in self-reported annual mileage and calculated daily mileage for various trip purposes among households with only BEVs (BEV-only), households with both BEVs and ICEVs (BEV+), and households without BEVs (non-BEV households). Our findings indicate that households with BEVs drive fewer annual miles than non-BEV households, but typically travel no less than they do for daily activities. This apparent discrepancy is likely due to taking fewer longer trips because the public charging infrastructure was still in its infancy in 2017, and its reliability was questionable. As technological progress is helping to overcome current battery limitations, policymakers may consider measures for fostering fast charging technologies while pondering new measures to fund both the charging infrastructure and the road network.

Stochastic fast charging scheduling of battery electric buses with energy storage systems design

Under the background of urban green and low-carbon economic development, battery electric buses (BEBs) together with fast charging technologies are considered as an effective way in promoting carbon emissions reduction and improving energy efficiency. However, challenges arise during daily peak periods, at which BEB charging activities cause increased operation costs and substantial stress on the power grid. To fill the gaps, this work introduces energy storage systems (ESSs) into the BEB fast-charging scheduling problem. A stochastic programming model considering uncertain discharge efficiencies of ESSs is established, aiming to minimize total operation costs of fast charging stations. It is then transformed into a deterministic one with a manageable scenario sample size, using an integrated sample average approximation (SAA) and K-means approach, as well as an integrated SAA and K-means++ approach. We also present a heuristic algorithm and an improved genetic algorithm to solve the transformed model. Numerical studies based on a real-life urban transit network in Shanghai, China, are conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods. Sensitivity analysis further reveals the impact of charging power on total operation cost.

Investigation of Charging Technologies for Electric Vehicles

In today's world, internal combustion engine vehicles are widely used. These vehicles cause harmful emissions as they use fossil fuels for engine propulsion and vehicle movement. To address this issue, electric vehicles have been considered as a solution. In electric vehicles, electric motors are used instead of traditional internal combustion engines and the necessary electrical energy is supplied from battery packs. In this way, electric vehicles do not cause harmful emissions to the environment. If the energy required for electric vehicle charging stations is obtained from renewable energy systems, electric vehicles will be zero-emission vehicles. Battery packs, that provide energy for electric vehicles, typically consist of rechargeable Lithium-ion battery groups and they can be charged using fast charging technology. In this study, the future of transportation, electric vehicles and the standards and technologies used in electric vehicle charging stations have been examined. Additionally, an electric vehicle system has been designed using MATLAB/Simscape.

Dominant Solvent-Separated Ion Pairs in Electrolytes Enable Superhigh Conductivity for Fast-Charging and Low-Temperature Lithium Ion Batteries.

The low ionic conductivities of aprotic electrolytes hinder the development of extreme fast charging technologies and applications at low temperatures for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Herein, we present an electrolyte with LiFSI in acetone (DMK). In DMK electrolytes, the solvation number is three, and solvent-separated ion pairs (SSIPs) are the dominant structure, which is largely different from other linear aprotic electrolytes where salts primarily exist as contact ion pairs (CIPs). With incompact solvation structures due to the weak solvation ability of DMK with Li+, the ionic conductivity reaches 45 mS/cm at room temperature. The percentage of SSIPs increases as temperatures decrease in DMK electrolytes, which is totally different from the carbonate-based electrolytes but greatly beneficial to low-temperature ionic conductivity. With the appropriate addition of VC and FEC, DMK-based electrolytes still exhibit a superhigh ionic conductivity. Even at -40 °C, the ionic conductivity is greater than 10 mS/cm. With DMK-based electrolytes, LIBs with thick LiFePO4 electrodes can be cycled at high rates and at low temperatures.

Amorphous Anode Materials for Fast-charging Lithium-ion Batteries.

Fast-charging technology is set to revolutionize the field of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), driving the creation of next-generation devices with the ability to get charged within a short span of time. From the anode perspective, it is of paramount importance to design materials that can withstand continuous Li+ insertion/deinsertion at high charging rates and still remain unaffected by factors such as mechanical fractures, electrolyte side reactions, polarisation, lithium plating and heat generation. Herein, the recent advancements in the design of amorphous materials as anodes for fast-charging LIBs have been discussed. While the development of this particular class of materials for application in high-rate anodes has been paid limited attention in recent literature, it holds immense promise for improving the fast-charging capabilities. This concept summarizes the recent strides made in this emerging field, outlining the strategies employed in the design of amorphous anodes and emphasizing the crucial role played by the amorphous nature in achieving fast-charging performance. Further, the successive initiatives that can be undertaken to drive the progress of amorphous materials for fast charging LIBs have also been detailed, which could potentially improve their commercial viability.

Mechanism Behind the Loss of Fast Charging Capability in Nickel-Rich Cathode Materials.

Fast charging technology for electric vehicles (EVs), offering rapid charging times similar to conventional vehicle refueling, holds promise but faces obstacles owing to kinetic issues within lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Specifically, the significance of cathode materials in fast charging has grown because Ni-rich cathodes are employed to enhance the energy density of LIBs. Herein, the mechanism behind the loss of fast charging capability of Ni-rich cathodes during extended cycling is investigated through a comparative analysis of Ni-rich cathodes with different microstructures. The results revealed that microcracks and the resultant cathode deterioration significantly compromised the fast charging capability over extended cycling. When thick rocksalt impurity phases form throughout the particles owing to electrolyte infiltration via microcracks, the limited kinetics of Li+ ions create electrochemically unreactive areas under high-current conditions, resulting in the loss of fast charging capability. Hence, preventing microcrack formation by tailoring microstructures is essential to ensure stability in fast charging capability. Understanding the relationship between microcracks and the loss of fast charging capability is essential for developing Ni-rich cathodes that facilitate stable fast charging upon extended cycling, thereby promoting widespread EV adoption.

Research on electric vehicle load forecasting considering regional special event characteristics

With the rise of electric vehicles and fast charging technology, electric vehicle load forecasting has become a concern for electric vehicle charging station planners and operators. Due to the non-stationary nature of traffic flow and the instability of the charging process, it is difficult to accurately predict the charging load of electric vehicles, especially in sudden major events. In this article, We proposes a high-precision EV charging load forecasting model based on mRMR and IPSO-LSTM, which can quickly respond to the epidemic (or similar emergencies). Firstly, the missing data in the original EV charging load data are supplemented, and the abnormal data are corrected. Based on this, a factor set is established, which included five epidemic factors, including new confirmed cases, the number of moderate risk areas, the number of high risk areas, epidemic situation and epidemic prevention policies of the city, and other factors such as temperature. Secondly, the processed load data and other data in the influencing factor set are normalized, and the typical characteristic curve is established for personalized processing of the relevant data of epidemic factors, so as to improve the sensitivity of load response to epidemic changes and the ability to capture special data (peak and valley values and turning points of load). Then the maximum relevant minimum redundancy (mRMR) is used to select the optimal feature set from the set of influencing factors. Then, the processed load data and its corresponding optimal selection are input into the IPSO-LSTM model to obtain the final prediction result. Finally, taking the relevant data of EV charging load in a city in China from November 2021 to April 2022 (the city experienced two local epidemics in December 2021 and March 2022 respectively) as an example, the model is evaluated and compared with other models under the forecast period of 1 h. Meanwhile, the performance of the model under different foresight periods (2 h, 4 h, 6 h) is compared and analyzed. The results show that the model has good stability and representativeness, and can be used for EV charging load prediction under the COVID-19 pandemic.