ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONICS EV BATTERY STANDARDISATION
PAILTON ENGINEERING
Exploring the benefits and drawbacks of greater standardisation in electric vehicle ( EV ) batteries
It is estimated that by 2050 , 74 percent of Europe ’ s vehicle stock will be battery powered . What role will the standardisation of these batteries play in this story ? Roger Brereton , heads of sales at steering system manufacturer Pailton Engineering , assesses the arguments for and against greater standardisation .
Over the next half-century , the internal combustion engine will be gradually displaced by the rise of the battery powered electric vehicle . The current generation of these vehicles rely on lithium ion ( Li-ion ) batteries for their power with this battery type predicted to dominate this realm for the foreseeable future . The debate over whether governments should introduce greater standardisation of batteries is not a new one . But it is more complicated than is often assumed .
The strongest argument in favour of greater standardisation is a green one . Although vehicle electrification is touted as a solution to cutting emissions , disposing of all these batteries creates another set of environmental problems . A recent study found that in 2017 , the amount of electric cars sold would produce 250,000 metric tons of battery waste . And that estimate excludes other electric vehicles , such as electric buses for example . The dangerous business of processing this waste is complicated by the fact that different manufacturers use different battery chemistries and their packs come in a range of different shapes and sizes .
Standardisation is clearly part of the solution here . If there was less variation in the size and shape , then the removal of the packs would be cheaper and less dangerous . It could also pave the way for more automation in the disposal process . At the very least , better standards around the labelling of batteries would be of benefit . This would allow the batteries to be more easily recycled or repurposed .
The green argument feeds into an argument about costs . Firstly , the mass production of
Li-ion batteries will lower costs for vehicle original equipment manufacturers ( OEMs ). Furthermore , vehicle manufacturers are often both legally and financially responsible for removing and recycling these batteries . Standardisation will reduce these costs too .
Secondly , second life applications for these batteries will emerge as a lucrative market in the coming years . It is estimated that OEMs will gain on average $ 67 for each battery unit that is repurposed rather than recycled . Standardisation makes the repurposing process safer and easier , which can produce financial benefits for both manufacturers and consumers .
Despite the above benefits , too much standardisation across the entire EV market is both impractical and unwelcome . Those who design and manufacture the vehicles and their batteries guard their intellectual property closely . The likes of Tesla are not going to quickly hand over the secrets to their latest battery chemistries for example .
Too much standardisation would in any case stifle innovation . This is not yet a mature technology and progress is being driven by competition . For example , the location of batteries in electric buses is an entirely separate debate but does highlight the opportunity to break conventions in electric vehicle design . Yes , we need strong safety and environmental standards , but we also want to encourage as much design flexibility as possible .
Standardisation is one half of the story of how we will achieve widespread vehicle electrification by mid-century . This will allow us to exploit this technology in a greener and cheaper way . The other half of the story will be the role of design flexibility and innovation . If the 2050 projections are correct , the industry will need to meet half way to provide enough flexibility and innovation to keep vehicles competitive , and the right level of standardisation to keep costs feasible .
To find out more about Pailton Engineering ’ s bespoke steering system parts , visit pailton . com .
58 PECM Issue 47