Designing batteries for longer life

Engineers at battery makers are striving to boost life by carefully balancing charge rate, cooling, safety margins, casing size, and protection.

As tighter fuel economy regulations and uncertainty about fuel prices hasten the development of electrified powertrains, design teams are focusing on battery lifetimes. Long-term life is one of the key parameters these teams consider when they're balancing the trade-offs between size and weight.

Concern about replacing costly battery packs is one of the negatives for potential hybrid buyers. It's also a leading issue for design engineers who are striving to shrink the size of battery packs without sacrificing range. Like other parts of the car, batteries begin aging when they head out to dealerships. The harder they're pushed, the faster they'll reach their end of life.