Current Li-Ion Battery Technologies in Electric Vehicles and Opportunities for Advancements

TLDR

Electric vehicle adoption is rapidly expanding, with projections of over 125 million cars by 2030, and lithium‑ion batteries are the central energy‑storage technology enabling this growth. The study compares key Li‑ion battery components and battery‑management strategies to identify ways to enhance efficiency, capacity, and lifespan. The authors analyze material and thermal properties, electrode and electrolyte designs, and physical implementations, and review emerging high‑energy‑density batteries and recycling opportunities.

Abstract

Over the past several decades, the number of electric vehicles (EVs) has continued to increase. Projections estimate that worldwide, more than 125 million EVs will be on the road by 2030. At the heart of these advanced vehicles is the lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery which provides the required energy storage. This paper presents and compares key components of Li-ion batteries and describes associated battery management systems, as well as approaches to improve the overall battery efficiency, capacity, and lifespan. Material and thermal characteristics are identified as critical to battery performance. The positive and negative electrode materials, electrolytes and the physical implementation of Li-ion batteries are discussed. In addition, current research on novel high energy density batteries is presented, as well as opportunities to repurpose and recycle the batteries.