Battery Cells for Electric Vehicles

Halimah, Putri Nur; Rahardian, Samuel; Budiman, Bentang Arief · 2019 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.31427/ijstt.2019.2.2.3

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Summary

This review paper addresses the critical safety challenges associated with lithium-ion battery cells used in electric vehicles (EVs), driven by the global shift from internal combustion engines to electric drivetrains. While EVs offer zero-emission potential and decreasing costs, battery technology faces hurdles regarding high production costs, low energy density, and significant safety risks, particularly thermal runaway caused by short circuits. The study aims to evaluate the three common battery cell formats—cylindrical, pouch, and prismatic—to determine their suitability for various EV applications and to inform the design of battery protectors and safety regulations. The authors conduct a comprehensive comparative analysis of the three cell types, focusing on their structural advantages, disadvantages, and failure mechanisms under mechanical loading. The review synthesizes existing literature on crashworthiness and failure analysis, specifically examining how different loading conditions (axial compression, lateral indentation, and bending) lead to internal short circuits. For cylindrical cells, the paper cites studies indicating that axial shortening must not exceed 3 mm and lateral indentation must remain under 4 mm to prevent separator damage. For prismatic cells, the review discusses thermal stability experiments and long-term storage failures, noting that gas trapping can cause swelling and voltage reduction. Pouch cells are analyzed for their mechanical integrity, highlighting the vulnerability of their flexible foil casing compared to rigid alternatives. The findings reveal distinct trade-offs among the cell types. Cylindrical cells, widely used in Tesla vehicles, offer strong metal casings that maintain shape during charge/discharge cycles and allow for dense packing to lower the vehicle’s center of gravity, though they are heavier per unit of energy and require complex wiring systems. Pouch cells provide the lowest weight-to-energy ratio, making them ideal for lightweight applications like drones, but their flexible foil packaging lacks mechanical strength, necessitating additional protective structures for EV use. Prismatic cells offer high energy density and compact packaging suitable for heavy vehicles like buses and trucks, with simpler battery management systems; however, they are prone to mechanical failure at bent corners during manufacturing and suffer from swelling issues during long-term storage. The significance of this work lies in its contribution to the establishment of safety regulations and the design of effective battery protectors. By identifying specific failure thresholds and mechanisms for each cell type, the paper provides a foundation for future research aimed at mitigating safety issues in battery technology. The authors conclude that understanding these differences is essential for selecting appropriate battery types for specific EV classes and for developing robust protective measures against crash-induced thermal runaway.

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