Use of lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles

An account is given of the lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery pack used in the No rthern Territory University's solar car, Fuji Xerox Desert Rose, which comp eted in the 1999 World Solar Challenge (WSC). The reasons for the choice of Li-ion batteries over silver-zinc batteries are outlined, and the construc tion techniques used, the management of the batteries, and the battery prot ection boards are described. Data from both pre-race trialling and race tel emetry, and an analysis of both the coulombic and the energy efficiencies o f the battery are presented. It is concluded that Li-ion batteries show a r eal advantage over other commercially available batteries for traction appl ications of this kind. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.