Collaboration develops accurate EV battery health monitor

A new approach to accurately estimating an EV battery’s remaining useful life has been developed by Eatron Technologies and WMG, University of Warwick.

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Funded by Faraday Institution, the VIPER (Validated & Integrated Platform for battery Remaining useful life) project combines WMG’s advanced electrochemical models with Eatron’s cloud battery management and integration expertise to deliver Remaining Useful Life (RUL) estimates that are said to be over 90 per cent accurate.

“Our support for UK-based efforts to develop cost-effective batteries that are efficient, fast charging, and can be safely and sustainably recycled is crucial to achieving the rapid growth in EVs on our roads that will see us deliver on our net-zero targets,” Professor Pam Thomas, CEO, Faraday Institution said in a statement.

Traditional RUL estimates often rely on voltage-based analytics that could miss complex failure conditions, while more cautious approaches may result in healthy battery packs being rendered unusable.

According to the team, the new solution can be embedded in an automotive-grade battery management system or deployed across a cloud-based platform.

In addition, when an automotive battery is eventually redeployed into its second life, it can be accompanied by an accurate picture of its health in the form of a battery passport that negates the need for expensive testing and increases the breadth of its operating window.

“Unlocking the hidden capacity of a battery has the potential to increase an EV’s usable range and extend its lifetime,” said Dr Umut Genc, CEO of Eatron. “There are benefits for the used EV market, too; as a result of these highly accurate RUL estimates, buyers could have confidence in the condition of a vehicle’s battery and be reassured about its ability to perform for many years to come.”

In a separate development, Eatron Technologies announced the completion of its A2 Series Funding on January 17, 2024, with lead investment from LG Technology Ventures and further investment from MMC Ventures, which led Eatron’s Series A.

With facilities in the UK and Türkiye, Eatron is focussed on developing AI-powered battery management software for the automotive industry. The latest funding, with participation from the Türkiye Development Fund, will allow the company to further develop and deploy new embedded and cloud-based features for its software and accelerate plans for global growth.