LI-ION batteries for Electric Vehicles

Li-ion batteries are in the spotlight. The fast-growing market for electrified vehicles (BEV, PHEV) will account for nearly two-thirds of the global market for these batteries in early 2022. According to the different scenarios of expected penetration of electrified vehicles, this same market should represent more than 80% of the total market for Li-ion batteries by 2030, for a total amount (expressed in terms of energy that can be stored in the batteries) of more than One TW/h.

The construction of several Gigafactories in Europe is necessary to supply the car manufacturers. Leaving the Asian battery manufacturers alone to dominate this market would mean running the risk of losing the European car industry in 20 years' time.

However, in ten or fifteen years' time, the die will be cast and the positions taken. It is in the next few years that Europe will succeed, or not, in positioning itself. On 2 May 2019, the French and German governments announced, for example, strong joint initiatives, supported by Europe, in this field. Germany is stepping up its efforts to develop a battery manufacturing industry covering the entire value chain: it is worth mentioning the investment of more than 500 million euros to build a battery research and development centre in Munster.

?While the reduction in Li-ion battery manufacturing costs is naturally driven by the scale effect of the automotive market, significant advances are expected in the coming years in the further improvement of the performance and environmental impact of these technologies.

Although mature, there is still room for improvement in Li-ion battery technologies. Research and development efforts are still needed to ensure that their mass deployment can be accompanied by environmental friendliness and sustainable development.

Current and future developments of Li-ion batteries may lead to incremental developments as well as, perhaps, to real technological breakthroughs.

Incremental developments include new "NMC" type cathode materials with significantly reduced cobalt content, thanks to the development of nickel-richer compositions such as "NMC811", or "NMC9/0.5/0.5" (the figures indicate the stoichiometric proportions of the materials present: nickel, manganese, cobalt). The use of gel electrolytes can also be mentioned, making it possible to improve safety of use and, if necessary, to simplify the manufacturing processes.

The breakthrough developments concern the so-called "post-lithium-ion" families of batteries such as, for example

- "All-solid" Li-ion batteries, which are likely to offer increased energy density and safety thanks to the use of a solid, polymer or ceramic electrolyte, making it possible to do away with a substituted graphite anode thanks to the use of a thinner metallic lithium anode;

- New generation sodium-ion batteries with vanadium-free active material;

- Lithium-sulphur batteries;

In addition to new generations of battery cells, there is also a need to develop innovative module and pack architectures. Such architectures require the development of efficient cooling systems, using, for example, dielectric fluids.

Electrical management, through a BMS (Battery Management System) whose performance will need to be further improved, is essential to ensure a high level of performance, durability and safety.

Furthermore, it is essential to integrate eco-design and life cycle analysis from the early stages of development of new battery solutions and the systems that will use them. In this respect, the recycling of batteries, either as part of a "second life" for automotive batteries or as part of an ultimate recycling, appears to be an essential phase of the life cycle in order to propose virtuous solutions for our environment but also, in particular, to enable Europe to acquire sources capable of contributing to supplying the European market with critical materials.

Finally, the aspects linked to standardisation and regulation also seem important: in order to allow a multi-source supply, it will undoubtedly be useful to standardise to a certain extent the batteries available on the market in terms of geometry, capacity or performance and thus facilitate their wide distribution.

As we can see, the future of lithium-ion or post-lithium-ion batteries, although promising, is far from being definitively written: many efforts still need to be made to make these technologies a permanent part of a sustainable development approach.

Manufacturers of lithium-ion batteries for the automotive industry are concerned by the application of the IATF16949:2016 standard. The battery production stages involve several professions and a long supply chain that is structured around multiple threats (pressure on lithium, cobalt and manganese resources, technological monopolies on cathode design, diversity of battery pack accessories and specific know-how on the quality of power tests and process validation, etc).

At Ariskan we have a specific know-how to accompany the companies involved in the manufacturing of battery pack components in the improvement of their QMS and the obtaining of the IATF certification. contcat us: [email protected]