Impact of Discharge Current Profiles on Li-ion Battery Pack Degradation

Increasing the life cycle of battery packs is one of the most valuable endeavors in modern Li-ion battery technologies, especially for light electric vehicles whose material costs are often significantly determined by the costs of the battery pack. The main aim of the present study is to help manufactureres of LEV's to circumvent the type of discharge profiles that substantially degrade the LEV's battery pack. To this end, this paper describes a measurement setup in which various discharge patterns from light electric vehicles, acquired during actual use of the vehicles, are simulated in a lab environment in order to assess their influence on the degradation of the Li-ion battery packs. The results of these measurements can be used to optimize discharge profiles and improve battery management systems with the aim to extend the Li-ion battery life time.