When the car is charging, lithium ions will flow through the cabling and, in the case of pouch-style batteries such as the ones used by Porsche, inside via metallic tabs. These are funneled into the anode and then, thanks to the presence of electrolytes, through the separator and into the cathode, in which they are stored. When the car is discharging energy, the opposite will occur, with lithium ions travelling from the cathode to the anode and then through cabling onto the electric motor.
LFP vs NMC
As mentioned, there are two main types of lithium ion batteries – NMC and LFP – both with distinct advantages and disadvantages. The former is by far the most popular chemistry adopted for EV batteries, offering superior energy density, meaning more lithium ions can be stored per cell, in turn leading to less weight per kilowatt-hour of storage – ideal for a sports car such as the aforementioned Taycan.
Unfortunately, NMC battery technology has rightly come under fire due to the unsustainability of mining precious metals such as cobalt, while the lifespan is typically shorter than that of an LFP alternative.
LFP batteries, on the other hand, may not have the same energy density as NMC units, but they are considered much more environmentally friendly thanks to their lack of precious metals. Iron Phosphate cells are cheaper to produce than their NMC brethren, making them an ideal candidate for budget EVs.
How long do electric car batteries last?
How long an electric car battery will last ultimately depends on the way it’s used; those operating constantly at a high temperature, driven for longer periods and charging to 100 per cent more frequently will ultimately hold onto less of their maximum capacity as time goes on.
Porsche, for example, offers its cars with an eight-year, 100,000-mile battery warranty, however the general view is that most batteries will go on for much longer. Porsche’s battery tech team told us their cars’ batteries could go on for as long as 15 years and over 180,000 miles before dipping below 70 per cent capacity. Of course, this is just an estimate, because battery technology has not been on the market long enough for the calculation to reference real-world examples, although the packs are tested in a variety of temperatures and environments to ensure their reliability.
