Researchers from China’s Shanghai Jiao Tong University have developed a thermal cloak to help maintain electric vehicle battery integrity during extreme weather conditions. The thermal cloak is designed to prevent EV battery deterioration by keeping EVs warm during the winter and cool over the summer.
Unlike traditional internal-combustion engine cars, electric vehicles are powered by rechargeable battery packs that are incredibly sensitive to extreme heat and cold. As such, electric vehicles require an optimal temperature range to function as effectively as possible. Public EV charging operator Osprey says the most optimal temperature ranges between 20 to 25 degrees. Anything below or above this range will adversely affect an EV battery pack’s performance.
Excessively hot conditions can cause batteries to degrade faster, reducing their performance, range and total lifespan. On the other hand, lower temperatures slow down the chemical reactions within the battery, increasing battery charging times, upping the vehicle’s overall energy needs and reducing its total range.
According to senior study author Dr. Kehang Cui, the EV thermal cloak is essentially “a set of clothes” for cars, buildings and even spacecraft that can maintain optimal temperatures in adverse weather conditions. The Janus thermal Cloak comprises two main layers: an outer layer that reflects sunlight and an inner layer that captures and traps atmospheric heat. The cloak works by reflecting most heat and sunlight during the day to keep vehicles cool and releasing stored heat once temperatures drop.
Tests carried out by the research team revealed that the thermal cloak can significantly reduce internal electric vehicle temperatures during the day and keep EVs toasty during cold winter nights. Cui notes that the researchers were surprised by the thermal cloak’s effectiveness, explaining that it allowed researchers to increase temperatures over ambient winter temperatures by close to 7°C.
Now that several countries are looking to replace their gas-powered fleets with zero-emission electric cars, this thermal cloak could help drive EV adoption in places that regularly experience extreme heat or cold.
Aside from higher prices, one of the key factors hindering widespread EV adoption is range anxiety. This refers to the fear of running out of power without a reliable EV charging station close by. By reducing battery performance and range, extreme weather can exacerbate range anxiety among drivers.
Cui says his team is now testing the thermal cloak on a wider scale to analyze its performance in the real world, such as the degree to which it increases battery life in EVs, or how much energy they can save by applying such cloaks to buildings. The team currently hasn’t figured out what the thermal cloak will cost once it hits the shelves, but they hope to commercialize the technology soon.
As companies such as Kandi Technologies Group Inc. (NASDAQ: KNDI) move to develop better EV battery chemistries, the work of companies that commercialize thermal cloaks could be a good stop-gap measure in the drive to accelerate EV adoption.
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