Not too long ago, the process of setting up a new mobile phone involved a ritual: users were advised to charge their devices for hours before using them. This practice aimed to improve battery life, and it turns out that a similar approach might apply to the batteries in electric vehicles (EVs).
Extend Lifespan by 50%
Traditionally, manufacturers have charged lithium-ion batteries slowly for the first time, believing that this would minimize the degradation of battery life.
However, a recent study published in the journal Joule challenges this long-held belief.
Researchers discovered that charging lithium-ion batteries at a high current just before leaving the factory can actually extend their lifespan by 50%. Instead of taking ten hours to charge a battery slowly, a quick 20-minute charge can significantly improve its longevity.
Xiao Cui, the lead researcher, noted, “Formation is the final step in the manufacturing process, so if it fails, all the value and effort invested in the battery are wasted.”
Collaboration with Toyota
In collaboration with researchers from the Toyota Research Institute, MIT, and the University of Washington, Cui and his team tested 186 new lithium-ion batteries using 62 different charging protocols. The goal was not only to identify the optimal charging method but also to understand why it works.
The study showed that lithium ions lost during fast charging contribute to the formation of a protective layer called the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) on the battery’s negative electrode. This layer safeguards the electrode from reactions that would otherwise accelerate lithium loss and battery degradation over time.
Steven Torrisi, a collaborator from the Toyota Research Institute, emphasized the broader implications of these findings, stating that the knowledge gained could benefit future battery technologies across various applications, including electric vehicle manufacturing and energy storage systems.
