KEY ATTRIBUTES NEEDED BY EV BATTERY MONITORING INTERCONNECTS
RYAN SMART VICE PRESIDENT OF PRODUCT HARWIN PLC
The foundation of any electric vehicle (EV) powertrain is the battery pack, where the electrical energy supplied by the charging infrastructure is stored. When the vehicle is moving, the battery pack is responsible for delivering the stored energy to the traction motor. Fueled by the widespread adoption of automotive electrification and rising EV sales, Fortune Business Insights has predicted that the EV battery market will expand dramatically between now and 2028, seeing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 28% during that time. As the battery pack is the most expensive part of an EV, making certain that it remains in good working order through countless charge cycles is a clear priority. Fewer required battery replacements will help reduce the total cost of ownership of the vehicle. The battery management system (BMS) is, therefore, quite important for its role in prolonging the lifespan of the battery pack and ensuring that
any situations that could lead to cell failure are mitigated.
BMS FUNCTIONS The BMS is an essential element of any EV’s powertrain. Connected to the battery pack and its constituent lithium ion (Li-ion) cells, the BMS monitors and regulates various parameters within these cells (such as voltage, current, and temperature) to maintain optimal operating conditions. The BMS also supervises the charging and discharging of the battery pack and helps identify the early appearance of any thermal hotspots or short circuits. Another key facet of an EV’s BMS is that it can support cell balancing, which addresses the unavoidable production variances in cell capacity. Cell balancing distributes the charge appropriately across the battery pack, so that weaker performing
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