Optimum battery temperature offers range extension

Research shows that keep batteries within optimum operating temperatures will increase the range of electric vehicles. It is widely known that batteries perform less well in cold weather but is often overlooked that overheating will also cause problems. For batteries to provide a long service life, overheating has to be prevented and temperatures kept within the optimum operating range of 20-35°C.
August 8, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
Research shows that keep batteries within optimum operating temperatures will increase the range of electric vehicles. It is widely known that batteries perform less well in cold weather but is often overlooked that overheating will also cause problems. For batteries to provide a long service life, overheating has to be prevented and temperatures kept within the optimum operating range of 20-35°C. But driving in hot ambient conditions can push a battery temperature outside the optimum range and this can cause serious damage. Operating a battery at 45°C instead of 35°C will halve its service life.

As a new battery can cost half the price of an electric vehicle, it is clear that cooling may be essential for reliable hot weather operation. But conventional cooling systems are not yet adequate in many instances. Air-cooled batteries may not have sufficient cooling potential for hot weather use, while effective liquid-cooling technology is still under development. A special coolant that comprises water and paraffin, along with stabilising tensides and a small percentage of antifreeze may offer more efficient cooling. However, testing has still to be completed by researchers in Germany.

Related Content

  • The payload answer for ADT haulage?
    July 8, 2016
    Will increased ADT load capacity provide a suitable solution to increasing aggregate and earthmoving haulage needs? Mike Woof reports The rule of thumb with off-highway machinery is that for bulk operations, larger equipment can deliver economies of scale, with bigger payloads allowing a better cost/tonne. Heavier machines may be less versatile than more compact units, so a type of equipment that retains its versatility as it is scaled up in size can offer major benefits. For the articulated dumptruc
    Read More
  • Effective crushing and screening key to quality
    February 22, 2012
    Efficient crushing and screening processes help produce quality products, Mike Woof reports. Having an efficient crushing and screening operation is crucial to the cost-effectiveness of a quarry as well as providing the best quality product. The crushing circuit is a key component in any quarry with the right selection of equipment as well as effective maintenance important factors in optimising performance.
    Read More
  • Rebuilding a scenic route in South Africa
    April 20, 2018
    Equipment from Wirtgen has played a key role in the rehabilitation of a major route in Cape Town. The scenic Camps Bay Drive provides access to Camps Bay and Hout Bay Based on the project brief and geometric analysis, Camps Bay Drive required widening to cope with high volumes of tourist traffic and MyCiti buses. In order to minimise the impact on traffic, the design brief targeted construction outside the summer peak tourist season and also required investigation into shortened construction periods. The
    Read More
  • Making a base
    July 20, 2012
    Soil stabilisation offers a cost effective solution for road construction in the right conditions Ensuring the soil underneath the aggregate base of a road has been stabilised with cement, lime or fly-ash can provide a greater working life and a reduced risk of problems that can arise as the road ages, such as subsidence. The technology works particularly well in ground with high clay content and where there are local shortages of stone for use in aggregates. Reducing the need for aggregates where they are
    Read More

Highlighted Content