Li-ion batteries used in electric vehicles are designed for long service life but will eventually lose capacity and need replacement. A group of researchers at Toyota Central R&D Labs in Japan found a simple way to reverse the aging process and extend their life cycle.
Studies have shown that lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles are quite reliable, thanks to efficient management systems that regulate temperature and charge/discharge performance. Replacing an EV battery is a very rare occurrence, with most electric vehicles still on their original battery after hundreds of thousands of miles and years of service.
No matter how good Li-ion batteries have gotten, they will gradually lose capacity over time as the number of lithium ions decreases. When this happens, they need to be charged more often and are less reliable. For instance, in cold weather, they might not be able to provide…
