July 15, 2022—As temperatures rise outdoors, auto manufacturers are working on strategies to ensure that car batteries stay cool internally.
ABC News reports on the phenomenon of high temperatures increasing the risk of battery failures.
"High-temperature conditions are problematic because it affects the range. Some of the battery will go to keeping the AC ... and that drains the battery," said Anna Stefanopoulou, the William Clay Ford professor of technology at the University of Michigan, according to ABC News.
In order to mitigate the impact on drivers, manufacturers have been putting batteries to the test. Strategies have included positioning the battery in the truck instead of in the engine area, as BMW has done.
"It requires an expensive cable, but it is a better climate-controlled environment," said Cory Steuben, president of the Michigan-based engineering consulting firm Munro & Associates. "It's essentially the same temperature as the cabin."
Stuben also pointed out another cooling strategy that implements a cooling system to pump coolant in the engine area to avoid overheating.
EV technology already lends itself well to self-cooling methods. Teslas, for example, have data tracking that watches the battery temperature. There is even an option in the vehicle's system to precondition the temperature of the battery and keep the battery cell cool so that it can properly charge in hotter environments.
