Brief History of Electric Vehicle Battery

As of 2022, exactly 221 years have passed since the discovery of the battery. Recently, more and more car buyers have started to prefer electric vehicles. Developing technology has an important role in this. Alessandro Volta introduced the first battery in 1801. The design was quite simple and his first attempts consisted of primitive objects. It consisted of thin strips of copper, cardboard, and zinc.

Batteries work on the galvanic cell principle, in which electrically charged particles flow in a circuit from the negative to the positive pole to generate electricity. The battery is both a store of electrochemical energy and a converter. When discharged, the stored chemical energy is converted into electrical energy by an electrochemical reaction. This converted energy is then supplied to consumer devices independently of the electrical grid.

Batteries are currently quite advanced. It is an indispensable part of mobile phones and laptops, and a life without a battery is unthinkable. However, the breakthrough of a commercially viable lithium-ion battery was first introduced in 1979 by researchers John B. Goodenough and Koichi Mizushima when they developed a rechargeable lithium cell of about 4 volts using lithium cobalt dioxide as the positive electrode. The rechargeability of this lithium-ion battery has made it a key prerequisite for battery-powered e-mobility as well.

At the end of the 19th century, electric cars were more advanced than cars with internal combustion engines. The first four-wheeled electrically powered vehicle was introduced in Coburg in 1888 by German entrepreneur and inventor Andreas Flocken. This was the catalyst for continued and rapid development in electromobility. At that time, the share of electric vehicles was almost twice that of combustion engine vehicles. However, an automotive system was established where electric cars could not gain momentum due to the interaction of the automotive and oil industries, automotive trade and users, media and politics. All these great discoveries and ideas have been wasted for almost a century and due to increasing environmental problems, electric cars have recently made a comeback. Currently, almost 40% to 50% of current car buyers are planning to invest in electric cars. In making this choice, ecological awareness and environmental protection are among the most important and most important factors for the consumer.

Today, renewable energies; battery energy storage systems and e-mobility are the keys to sustainability and an environmentally friendly energy system. Other propulsion options are also available, such as hydrogen. The still new two-way charging concept will make e-mobility more attractive and sustainable for years to come. The battery has historically been a cornerstone for the energy transition that is just beginning, and it cannot be destroyed.