Importance of Battery Pack Testing
Lithium-ion batteries used in EV applications have a tough life, as they are designed for approximately a decade of use in most electric vehicles.
However, after the first five years of operation, they slowly degrade, subjected to extreme operating temperatures, hundreds of partial cycles per year, fast charging, and changing charge and discharge rates.
Therefore, it’s essential for today’s researchers, engineers, and manufacturers to understand the fundamentals of EV battery tests and the best approaches to ensure safety, product performance, and time to market.
Stages and Types of Battery Testing
Battery tests are performed at each phase of the product life-cycle, including R&D, manufacturing, and in-use, to evaluate the overall system design and optimize its performance.
Standard tests include drive-cycles, peak power capability, BMS software validation, and application-specific characterization tests.
The goal of testing batteries as an individual component or subsystem is to answer specific questions about the design or build. For example, how will the battery perform at different temperature levels? What will be the impact of mechanical vibrations on the battery packs? Or will unbalance in battery cell voltages during the charging and discharging process cause overheating?
These and various other scenarios are tested during the battery development process. Although testing batteries may seem like a simple task, there are many challenges due to their complexity and hazardous nature. Modular and flexible drive solutions can provide solutions to overcome these pain points.
