China Energy Storage Network News: "How much battery life?" "How long does it take to charge?" "Where are the batteries produced?" Yesterday at the BAIC New Energy Guihua 4S store, some consumers asked this question. Chen Min, the sales manager here, told reporters that as long as people come to see new energy vehicles, they often start with these three questions. In his view, these three problems are actually one problem, because battery life and charging are actually comprehensive manifestations of the performance of new energy vehicle batteries.

　　Speaking of new energy vehicle batteries, they are definitely not simpler than car engines. The materials and technologies are different. Even if the same materials are used, but the proportions are different, it will have an impact on the overall performance of the vehicle. At present, the competition in the battery market is unprecedentedly fierce. With the reduction of subsidies for new energy vehicles and consumers' requirements for long battery life, automobile manufacturers are demanding smaller and more efficient batteries on the one hand, and lower prices on the other. Therefore, this year is also a year of reshuffle among new energy vehicle battery manufacturers. Many manufacturers went bankrupt, and at the same time, a number of leading battery companies such as CATL, BYD, and Guoxuan were created. For consumers, if they want to understand new energy vehicles, of course they must start with understanding the battery.

　　technology war

　　Battery companies face reshuffle

　　In the second half of 2018, various new energy vehicle manufacturing forces entered the "harvest season". NIO and WM Motor began delivering vehicles to customers. Behind this fierce blue ocean competition is an even more intense competition in the battery market. Lang Chuan is a research and development staff member at the Qingdao factory of a well-known brand in the industry. He told reporters that the start of new energy subsidies a few years ago stimulated the natural and rapid growth of the battery industry. "Buy single cells from outside and make battery packs according to the requirements of new energy vehicle manufacturers and sell them at a good price. We don't care about research and development issues at all." Lang Chuan described the early new energy battery market to reporters. But now, this model is difficult to continue. "The reduction of subsidies means that manufacturers must reduce costs, and batteries account for 30%-40% of the cost of new energy vehicles. To reduce costs, the first step is to take advantage of the battery. The cruising range of new energy vehicles has now entered the 500-kilometer era. When the size remains unchanged, Under the premise of increasing energy density, not all manufacturers can achieve this technology. "

　　On the one hand, it is cost, on the other hand, it is research and development capabilities. The squeeze from both sides has put many new energy battery companies in trouble, and at the same time, it has also created a group of "powerful ones". Brands such as CATL, BYD, Guoxuan and others are gradually gaining market recognition. "When introducing cars to consumers, we will highlight the use of batteries from the CATL era." Chen Min said frankly that now consumers not only have a concept of the car brand, but also have a reputation for batteries. In his view: "This is actually recognition of a healthy market that emphasizes R&D, technology and quality, and is a good thing for the new energy vehicle market. "

　　battle of species

　　Lithium batteries gradually occupy the market

　　"Currently, lithium-ion power batteries are still the mainstream of the market." As a technician, Lang Chuan recognizes lithium batteries. In his opinion, the lithium battery era has fully arrived. According to the different cathode materials, lithium-ion batteries are mainly divided into lithium iron phosphate batteries and ternary batteries represented by nickel cobalt manganese, nickel cobalt aluminum, etc. However, the energy density of lithium iron phosphate batteries with relatively mature technology at this stage has reached its physical limit.

　　Consumers’ expectations for the cruising range of electric vehicles have been transmitted to power battery companies through car manufacturers, which inevitably require batteries with higher energy density, greater charge, and the ability to run farther. Moreover, the "Action Plan to Promote the Development of the Automotive Power Battery Industry" issued as early as February 2017 clearly stated that by 2020, the power battery single energy density will be 300Wh/kg, the system energy density will be 260Wh/kg, and the cost will be 1 yuan/Wh. . It is almost impossible to achieve this goal by relying solely on lithium iron phosphate batteries. Therefore, the proportion of ternary batteries is rising rapidly, while the growth rate of lithium iron phosphate batteries is slowing down. Lang Chuan believes: "In the next few years, power batteries will be dominated by ternary batteries, while developing towards high-nickel ternary and new system batteries..." Automobile manufacturers have also taken action, and even the earliest ones preferred lithium iron phosphate batteries. BYD, which is researching, has quietly changed its direction recently. Not only are new cars generally equipped with ternary lithium batteries, but they are also moving closer to ternary lithium batteries in research and development.

　　However, high-performance ternary lithium batteries are scarce in the market, and many new energy vehicle manufacturers are unable to deliver vehicles on a large scale. Battery shortages are an important reason. In addition, many brands of long-range models are always out of stock, which is also closely related to the insufficient production capacity of high-performance ternary lithium batteries. Lang Chuan told reporters that due to the current surge in ternary lithium battery production, the prices of raw materials such as manganese and cobalt have continued to rise. How to reduce costs and develop alternative products in the future will become the direction of efforts of battery R&D companies. Looking at the international market, domestic and foreign companies have accelerated the layout of next-generation battery technology routes, such as all-solid-state lithium batteries, lithium-sulfur batteries, fuel cells, etc.

　　Battery Family Map

　　Nickel metal hydride, ternary lithium, lithium cobalt oxide... Do you think the battery "chemistry class" is boring? The reporter will give you a copy of the "Pleasant Goat" battery family map to help you quickly understand their "personality" characteristics.

　　NiMH batteries

　　Advantages: low price, strong versatility, large current, environmentally friendly and stable.

　　Cons: Heavy weight, short battery life.

　　"Character" characteristics: The nickel-metal hydride battery is somewhat similar to the lazy sheep in the cartoon "Pleasant Goat". It is not very strong but not picky about food, and sometimes likes to "hold grudges".

　　The earliest mobile phone batteries were all nickel-metal hydride batteries with small capacity, short life, and charging "memory effect." Many people did not like this kind of battery. Since the 1990s, many hybrid vehicles, represented by the Toyota Prius, have used such batteries as energy storage components. Nickel-metal hydride batteries have low cell voltages, but they are cheap, environmentally friendly, and stable. As a supplementary auxiliary power to gasoline engines, they are perfect for being equipped on hybrid vehicles.

　　Lithium cobalt oxide battery

　　Advantages: high energy density and stable structure.

　　Disadvantages: poor safety and very high cost.

　　"Character" characteristics: Lithium cobalt oxide batteries are more like boiling sheep, with great strength, but a little short temper.

　　Lithium cobalt oxide battery is a type of lithium-ion battery with stable structure, high capacity ratio and outstanding comprehensive performance. However, it has poor safety and very high cost. It is mainly used in mobile phones, notebook computers and other portable electronic devices. Tesla's first-generation electric car, the Roadster, was the only one to use lithium cobalt oxide batteries. Lithium cobalt oxide batteries have the advantage of high energy density, but at 180-250°C, the internal chemical composition becomes unstable, like a wild horse that is difficult to tame. As for Tesla's initial choice of lithium cobalt oxide batteries, the reason is that Tesla's powerful battery management and monitoring system can ensure that each battery is at a suitable operating temperature.

　　Lithium iron phosphate battery

　　Advantages: ultra-stable, low cost, long cycle life.

　　Disadvantages: low energy density and poor low temperature performance.

　　"Character" characteristics: The warm sheep in the battery industry, big in stature but small in strength. The key is a very good temper. He is simply a good young man of Buddhist type.

　　Lithium iron phosphate batteries refer to lithium-ion batteries that use lithium iron phosphate as the cathode material, also called lithium iron batteries. BYD was once the main developer of this type of battery. The most prominent feature of lithium iron phosphate batteries is thermal stability, which is second to none among current automotive lithium batteries. However, the energy density of lithium iron phosphate batteries is far less than that of ternary lithium batteries. If you want to obtain a greater cruising range, you must increase the energy density of lithium iron phosphate batteries. Large volume. Therefore, currently lithium iron phosphate batteries are mostly used as power batteries for large vehicles such as electric buses.

　　Ternary lithium battery

　　Advantages: high voltage platform, high energy density

　　Disadvantages: poor safety, poor high temperature resistance

　　"Character" characteristics: Ternary lithium batteries are called the Pleasant Goat of the battery industry. They are not the best in all aspects, but they are well-balanced, relatively irritable, and afraid of heat.

　　Ternary lithium batteries are currently the most popular battery type for electric vehicles. From Zhidou to Tesla, even BYD has begun to turn to ternary lithium batteries. The so-called "ternary" means that the positive electrode of the battery uses three elements: nickel, cobalt, manganese, and of course lithium. The weight energy density of ternary lithium batteries is much higher. Generally speaking, ternary lithium batteries of the same weight have a longer cruising range than lithium iron phosphate batteries. Although ternary lithium is safer than lithium cobalt oxide batteries, its internal chemical components begin to decompose when its temperature is 250-350°C, thus placing extremely high requirements on the battery management system.

　　hydrogen fuel cell

　　Advantages: energy filling is convenient and simple, more efficient, clean and pollution-free

　　Disadvantages: complex technology, expensive, short lifespan

　　"Character" characteristics: The beautiful sheep in the battery industry, beautiful and luxurious, a bit ungrounded.

　　Hydrogen fuel cells use the chemical element hydrogen to create batteries that store energy. Strictly speaking, it is not a battery, but generates electrical energy through the chemical reaction of hydrogen and oxygen. The entire process only produces water and heat, which is more environmentally friendly. Another advantage of fuel cells is thermal efficiency. The thermal efficiency of gasoline engines is only about 30%, while the power generation efficiency of hydrogen fuel cells can reach more than 50%. Hydrogen fuel cells are expensive to build, and the metal platinum is used as a catalyst in the power generation process. Yes, it is platinum. Although everyone in the industry believes that hydrogen fuel cells are the future development trend of electric vehicles, they still look beautiful at the moment.

　　Little secrets of new energy vehicle batteries

　　Will the battery function be degraded?

　　Mobile phone batteries will become less and less durable, what about new energy vehicles? Chen Min explained very clearly that battery degradation does exist, and this problem is also prominent in the first generation of new energy vehicles, which has become the primary concern of many buyers. However, he also told reporters that in order to eliminate concerns in this regard, most new energy vehicle companies currently provide separate long-term warranties for batteries, such as 10 years and 200,000 kilometers. If they decay to a certain rate, they can be replaced for free.

　　Where are the new energy vehicle batteries installed?

　　Many customers want to see the battery when they go to the new energy vehicle showroom, but they may not be able to see it. Chen Min told reporters that most of the new energy vehicle batteries are installed on the chassis: "The battery needs to be sealed, and at the same time, it needs to be paved on the chassis and does not occupy any space." It can also reduce the space and lower the center of gravity." He said that although it is sealed, if the battery is damaged, it can be disassembled and replaced through technical means.

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