Helping electric vehicles keep their cool
Summary
In order for these structural, or “mass-less,” batteries to succeed, designers must confront a challenge that arises from their use of a solid polymer – rather than a liquid electrolyte solution – as its medium for electron transit. “While structural battery composites are a promising technology for reducing weight in electrical vehicles, their design could certainly benefit from the addition of a thermal-management system,” Najafi said. “Not only could this improve the range of the EV, but it would also greatly reduce the chances of a thermal runaway reaction.” Najafi’s research group has been developing special composite materials for heat management for a number of years. But the team notes that the real value of their work is its ability to glean the best combination of battery size and weight – including enough cooling capacity to keep it functioning – for any electric vehicle in production now and any future designs. “While we know that every bit of weight saving can help improve the performance of an EV, thermal management can be just as important – perhaps more, when it comes to making people feel comfortable driving them,” Najafi said.