A Comparison of the Performance and Thermal Management Requirements of Lithium-Ion Batteries during Ultra-Fast Charging

Ultra-fast charging of electric vehicles will soon be available, but very few studies of batteries under these conditions exist. Here, the performance of three lithium-ion batteries during ultra-fast charging were investigated. The cells were charged at 1C to 5C current rates, or as high as 10C, and the surface temperature of each cell was measured. Power loss calculated from the charging tests were used in the thermal analysis of the three batteries. The batteries were modeled in a simple cooling apparatus to determine their thermal management requirements. Test results show that ultra-fast charging is possible with very little loss, but it is dependent on the battery. The analysis illustrates important trade-offs between battery type, charge rate, thermal management system, and system energy density.