Fast charging all the time not good for EV batteries; AC charging better to slow degradation – EV expert

Fast charging all the time not good for EV batteries; AC charging better to slow degradation – EV expert

With electric vehicle (EV) adoption in Malaysia expected to increase over the next couple of years as a result of tax exemptions that will be introduced from next year, it’s no surprise to see infrastructure providers making the move to up the charging network to support that.

Electric vehicle charging solutions provider ChargEV is one of these, announcing the introduction of new 22 kW AC chargers as part of its ongoing public network update. Now, we’ve seen people ridiculing the new 22 kW chargers, calling them ‘dinosaur tech’ compared to 200-300 kW DC fast chargers. The point is, chargers in public buildings aren’t designed to fully charge your EV anyway, and are really only for top-ups while you do your business at the mall. Your main place to charge should still be at home.

As it moves along eventually, the availability of DCFC points is expected to expand, although with extra requirements and additional cost they are not expected to form the majority of the public charging network, at least not in the foreseeable future.

In any case, charging fast every time, all the time may not be ideal, says Johan Hellsing of China Euro Vehicle Technology (CEVT). The principal expert, Motion & Energy at the innovation centre for the Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, said that doing so would be detrimental to the battery in the long run.

Fast charging all the time not good for EV batteries; AC charging better to slow degradation – EV expert

“It is a small negative impact each time. If you fast charge once a month, you won’t notice it very much, but if you fast charge every time then you will see some faster degradation of the battery,” he said during an interview some time back.

Hellsing, who said that getting an EV’s battery to full even with DC charging will never be as quick as the refuelling process that motorists are used to now, said that there would also be a price to be paid elsewhere.

“There may be cases where it won’t be possible to load the grid with that power in a short time, so you need to have some local storage, which means additional cost. The electricity will be more expensive, the technology will be more expensive, also the battery will age faster. So far, I don’t see any technologies overcoming it totally,” he explained.

So, the only place you really need fast chargers are on highways, in the middle of long trips. That’s how Tesla says its Superchargers are designed to be used, as occasional quick chargers, not as a daily. The reality is that overnight AC home charging should take care of movement ability (unless you happen to stay in an old condo), also helping to preserve the battery over the long run.

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Anthony Lim

Anthony Lim believes that nothing is better than a good smoke and a car with character, with good handling aspects being top of the prize heap. Having spent more than a decade and a half with an English tabloid daily never being able to grasp the meaning of brevity or being succinct, he wags his tail furiously at the idea of waffling - in greater detail - about cars and all their intrinsic peculiarities here.

 

Comments

  • Dong Gor on Nov 16, 2021 at 1:38 pm

    Battery is destined to fail over time.. So another thing on the list to worry for ev

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 14 Thumb down 6
    • Mr. Sotong on Nov 16, 2021 at 2:26 pm

      Internal combustion engines and transmissions don’t last forever neither.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 11 Thumb down 5
      • They will last you at least of 10 years use, how long does the most durable EV battery will last?

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
    • 8 years warranty ‍♂️

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1
    • just like Lithium iPhone.

      3 years will KO.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 2
    • Sohai on Nov 16, 2021 at 4:45 pm

      Why issues? Car maker give battery warranty minimum 8yrs, some 10yrs, etc… And so many years back no complaint from Tesla 300kw fast charging. And you using fast charging your handphone as well, then should you buy special slow charging charger to charge your handphone by 2-3 days?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 8
    • Sohai on Nov 16, 2021 at 4:50 pm

      Why issues? Under warranty 8yrs, your already have change your iPhone Pro Max, spending multiple $6k many times. FYI, current Audi A6 battery change package cost $13k (premium car). 8yrs later by 2030 after warranty, car battery price may cost less than your iPhone ProMax $6k.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 3
    • Sohai on Nov 16, 2021 at 4:51 pm

      Then u no need use handphone bcoz it’s use battery, and don’t fast charging your handphone, bcoz it’s so worry about…

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 4
  • BobML on Nov 16, 2021 at 2:09 pm

    OK agreed somewhat but kindly do update us if the battery powered cars are any good for our Hot & Humid climate since this is hot battery degrade most.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 0
  • morning star on Nov 16, 2021 at 2:56 pm

    Top vocalist from the lake of fire.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • Bieight on Nov 16, 2021 at 2:57 pm

    Those RM 2k handphones could charge faster than EV…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 5
  • testdriver on Nov 16, 2021 at 3:24 pm

    it’s all good, but we don’t have that much fast charger on highways where people in the future are expected to take EVs.

    i think the major problem we got is not the EVs themselves but charging infra or the lack thereof.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • DonkeyKong on Nov 16, 2021 at 4:44 pm

    This blanket push for EV is a sham which is worse for the environment in many ways in the long run.
    – dead batteries: high cost of recycling, most of it will be discarded? Like the EV batteries in China?
    – significant increase in baseload demand on the power grid: additional power typically comes from coal and natural gas. Renewable energy is too diffuse and unrealiable for this job.
    – natural resource conflicts: We already see what wars for oil can do. Next up, wars over lithium and rare earths?
    – high environmental cost of extracting, processing, discarding of rare earth materials for battery and solar panel (if EV industry relies on solar power) production.
    – particulate pollutants of rare earths that are used for batteries and semiconductors, released during processing and production, and from discarding of the old items, are contributors towards elevated cancer levels

    EV look like it’s “clean” but the back end is very, very filthy.

    Best to have a balanced approach like efficient gasoline cars, and efficient hybrid vehicles.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 18 Thumb down 6
  • Victor Lee on Nov 16, 2021 at 4:53 pm

    Aha sometime new that I don’t know wor. Come on is logic brother, do you have anything to say that we as human won’t know?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1
  • It’s not true.
    The current flow when discharging is very high too. The battery can endure large current both ways, charging and discharging.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 8
    • DonkeyKong on Nov 17, 2021 at 8:49 am

      Have you not heard of the electrode dendrite problem? Fast charging does accelerate dendrite formation. Batteries can withstand fast charging and discharging but there’s a definite difference in dendrite formation rates between slow and fast charging.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  • Amriji on Nov 16, 2021 at 6:34 pm

    The answer…. Battery swapping tech. Fast charging due to just swap batteries and no issue in getting stuck with old battery. Any issue….just swap it.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 1
  • EV expert? senangnya kerja. lepas ni apa? bawak EV laju2 mengurangkan range?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
 

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