Differences between electric and hybrid car batteries
Electric and hybrid car batteries differ from each other in terms of performance, charging method, lifespan, energy storage time, and output power. In this article, before examining the difference between electric and hybrid car batteries, we will introduce the types of batteries in electric and hybrid cars. Then we review the specifications and performance of batteries in electric and hybrid cars, as well as the factors affecting the performance and price of these types of batteries.
Types of batteries and their specifications in an electric car
The battery can be considered the heart of the electric car, which is responsible for keeping the engine running and charging it while moving. These batteries have different types, which include:
- Lithium-ion battery: Most electric cars use this type of battery. These batteries, which are rechargeable, have a large capacity and suitable energy density, but they have a shorter useful life.
- Acid battery: The initial costs of acid batteries are lower than other batteries, so they are more popular with car manufacturers. These types of batteries are rechargeable, but they store little energy.
- Nickel-iron battery: the useful life of this battery reaches more than 20 years and it can be charged continuously. A nickel-iron battery is produced at a high cost and has a poor warranty.
- Nickel-Cadmium Battery: This type of rechargeable battery is used in electrical appliances such as mobile phones.
- Nickel-metal hydride battery: Since the energy storage in this battery is done by hydrogen, nickel and titanium, its manufacturing cost is lower than lithium ion battery.
Advantages and disadvantages of electric car batteries
The electric car battery is made of harmful chemicals that pollute the environment when disposed of. However, experts believe that electric cars cause less pollution than gasoline cars. One of the advantages of electric car batteries is the re-production of electricity by them, so it is possible to regenerate energy by using these cars. Another advantage of the electric car battery is that it can be charged at home with a solar cell. Also, the proper lifespan of these types of batteries is considered as an advantage. But besides these advantages, electric cars have a big disadvantage. what’s wrong Changing the lithium battery imposes a huge cost on the car owner, and sometimes this cost reaches the price of a gasoline car. Another disadvantage of electric car batteries is their limited charging capacity. Also, electric cars have a limited range and are not suitable for long trips. The driving range of most electric cars is between 160 and 200 km, but Tesla has provided a range of 540 km in its Model S.
What is the battery performance of electric cars?
The way an electric car battery works is that lithium ions are exchanged between the positive electrode, the cathode, and the negative electrode, or anode. The cathode is made of lithium and the anode is made of graphite.
The battery structure of electric cars is such that each large battery is made of several smaller batteries, which are called cells. Cathode and anode plates are located inside the cell without water to prevent overcharging and discharging of the battery.
Electric car battery cells are managed by a system called battery management system. The system sends reports of battery or cell failure, the temperature of each cell, and the charge level of each battery to the ECU or engine control unit. With this, the charging speed of the car will be faster and more balanced. In general, in electric cars, the maximum battery capacity is never used, that is, the car battery is not charged or discharged 100%.
What factors affect the battery performance of an electric vehicle?
Various factors affect the battery performance of electric vehicles, including the following:
- Acceleration time: The longer the acceleration time, the faster the battery will drain. Therefore, it is recommended to avoid excessive acceleration.
- Driving speed: This factor is critical for lithium-ion batteries. why Because high speed leads to high acceleration, and acceleration exceeding the standard limit causes the loss of battery charge. Driving at standard speed protects the battery from damage and complete discharge.
- The weight of the load that enters the car: the meaning of the load is extra people and equipment, which in case of excessive weight, more energy is needed to reach the desired speed. Considering that the energy is supplied through the battery, as a result, the battery will be discharged quickly with more consumption.
- Cold and high heat: In very low temperature or high heat, the battery loses its proper performance. If the heater or cooler is turned on in such a situation, the electric power of the battery will be discharged faster.
Some of the factors mentioned above, such as driving at high speed and cold weather, reduce the range of electric vehicles. Note that these factors also affect the battery performance of hybrid cars. In the following, you will get to know more about these types of batteries.
Characteristics of hybrid cars
Before checking the specifications of the hybrid car, you should know that these cars have a combined system of gasoline engine, electric engine and battery. Since the word hybrid means the combination of two different elements, these cars are called hybrid. A hybrid car, also called a green car, stores the electric energy produced by the engine in the battery and works by combining the combustion energy of gasoline or diesel.
The following features can be counted for the hybrid car:
- The gasoline engine in the hybrid car consumes less fuel, it is lighter, and it is assisted by the electric motor in the mode of going uphill and accelerating.
- Hybrid cars cause less damage to the environment.
- These cars produce little noise. Even when the car is on and moving, you hardly notice the sound of the car.
- Hybrid car batteries are less efficient in cold weather.
- The main battery capacity of a hybrid car decreases by 70% in the first 5 years. Therefore, between 8 and 10 years after buying a hybrid car, the battery can be used.
- All hybrid cars use regenerative braking. This method is a way to restore part of the kinetic energy that the car lost during movement.
- In hybrid cars, it is possible to drive with one pedal. For example, when you decide to stop, instead of pressing the brake pedal, you can take your foot off the gas pedal.
- The price of a hybrid car battery depends on factors such as the country and battery manufacturing company, the atomic or acidic type of the battery, the amperage capacity, the warranty validity date and the year of manufacture.
Cars like Toyota Prius, Ford Fusion Hybrid, Kia Optima Hybrid, Toyota Camry Hybrid, Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, Toyota Camry SE and XlE, Lexus NXH300H and CT200H are examples of hybrid cars.
The role of the battery in hybrid vehicles
The battery in the hybrid car plays a role as an energy storage device for the electric motor. In this section, while getting to know the types of hybrid cars, we will examine the role of the battery in each of these types:
- Parallel hybrid: In the parallel hybrid, the simultaneous operation of two gasoline and electric motors causes the car to move. When the hybrid vehicle does not need the electric motor, the motor becomes a generator and returns power to the batteries.
- Hybrid series: In this type of hybrid car, all the work is done by the electric motor. The gasoline engine in the hybrid series plays the role of charging the battery, so it is not directly connected to the power transmission system. Series hybrid has less emissions than other types of hybrid cars.
- Parallel Series Hybrid: In such a system, the car’s computer issues a command to coordinate between two gasoline and electric motors. In this arrangement, sometimes only the gasoline engine or the electric engine is used, and sometimes both engines work together to meet the needs of the driver.
- Rechargeable hybrid car: The difference between this type of car and other hybrid cars is the addition of large batteries to the system with the ability to charge directly by city electricity. These types of cars are a good option for driving, but they are not cost-effective for long distances compared to gasoline cars. In this car, you can use only the electric or gasoline engine or both, based on the remaining charge of the car battery. Also, there is no need to worry about running out of battery and staying on the road.
- Mild hybrid car: The performance of this car is similar to parallel hybrid. In this system, in addition to the electric motor, very small batteries are used to accelerate and increase the power of the motor.
How does a hybrid car work?
As mentioned, in hybrid cars, there is an internal combustion engine as the main source of power generation and a gasoline engine next to the electric engine. An electric motor produces a lot of power when it is rotating slowly, and a gasoline engine produces a lot of power when it is rotating rapidly. It should be noted that the efficiency of electric motors is 3 to 4 times that of gasoline motors. Therefore, the performance of the hybrid car is different from each other in different conditions that are mentioned below.
At the beginning of the movement and the time of movement at low speed: in these cases, only the electric motor comes into action and can move the car without the need to use gasoline.
- Movement during acceleration: When the car accelerates, the gasoline engine kicks in. Therefore, the power of the electric and gasoline engine together helps to accelerate the car quickly.
- Driving on uphill roads: On uphill roads, both gasoline and electric motors must be active so that the car can move uphill.
- Moving at a constant speed: in this case, one of the gasoline or electric motors or both come into action. If the battery charge decreases while driving at a constant speed, the gasoline engine appears as a generator and charges the battery to be at the highest level of charge for the next use.
- Driving downhill: In this route, there is no need for a gasoline engine, and the power of the electric engine turns the wheels and charges the battery.
- Stop time: When the car stops, the gasoline engine is automatically turned off and the electric motor starts. The task of the electric motor is to convert the kinetic energy of the wheels into electrical energy for storage in the battery.
Battery comparison of electric and hybrid cars
Now that you are familiar with electric and hybrid cars, you can more easily compare the batteries in these two types of cars from different aspects.
- Function: In electric cars, electric power activates the electric motor with the help of batteries, and the driving force of the motor is transferred to the wheels. In other words, electric cars only have an electric engine, but a hybrid car is a combination of two gasoline and electric engines.
- How to charge: To be charged, the electric car must be connected to the city electricity by a special cable, but the hybrid car does not need an external source to charge the battery.
- Longevity: Electric vehicle batteries have a longer lifespan than hybrid vehicle batteries. The battery of a hybrid car can be used for a maximum of 8 to 10 years after the purchase of the car, while the useful life of the battery of electric cars reaches more than 17 years.
- Duration of energy storage: Hybrid car batteries can release significant power at any moment, so they store energy for a shorter period of time. But in the battery cells of the electric car, energy is stored for a long time in order to increase the range of the car.
- Output power and battery capacity: To calculate the ratio of power to battery energy, the thickness of current collectors and their coatings must be determined. The meaning of the current collector is the metal part of the two ends of the battery through which the current flows out of the battery and enters it. In a hybrid car, in order to produce higher power, the covers are thinner so that the electrons penetrate the battery faster. But in electric car batteries, thicker coatings are used on the collectors so that each cell discharges the stored energy more slowly. When the discharge is slower, the battery capacity increases. Therefore, it can be said that the battery output power is higher in hybrid cars and the battery capacity is higher in electric cars.
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