The complicated flow of ions, currents, and chemical reactions happening in electric vehicle batteries can benefit from better management, according to California-based Qnovo and other industry experts.
As a result, the software company has developed a system that can safeguard against fire risks and recalls, provide better performance, and be part of an industry segment that can save automakers $18 billion a year by 2030, per Qnovo and other reports.
"Proactively identifying and resolving battery issues should be an industry standard, not an afterthought," CEO Nadim Maluf said in an ABI Research news release published by PR Newswire.
ABI is a tech intelligence firm that verified the billions of dollars in savings the battery management software is capable of providing within the decade in part by reducing pack size without range reduction. In fact, the tech could improve range by 10%, the release stated.
Qnovo's SentinelX has crucial abilities, as outlined by the company. It can "dynamically adjust charging profiles to manage unstable battery cells." This should provide manufacturers with confidence to offer longer warranties while improving charge speeds and pack lifespans. The software detects and monitors the unstable cells, prompting action to mitigate failures, all per the release.
While rare — EV fires are less likely than gas engine blazes — the flammable materials in common batteries can make for disastrous and hard-to-fight flames and explosions, as The Boston Globe and CNN reported.
SentinelX also leverages what Qnovo calls its battery genome. It's a lithium-ion database with information on cell performance, risk factors, and more. It's the product of 12 years of research, according to the developers.
Avoiding costly recalls would be a big win for the industry. One involving the Chevy Bolt, related to battery fire risks, cost GM hundreds of millions of dollars early this decade, per the Detroit Free Press and Car and Driver.
Power pack innovations geared to improve safety and performance are happening in labs around the planet, often involving tinkering with the chemistry inside the energy storers. California-based Liminal has developed inspection tech that looks for flaws in battery cells as they are being made, preventing them from ever being part of an EV.
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For sure 💯 "Battery safety must guide every step of electric vehicle innovation," Maluf said.
All the inventions can play a big role in increasing EV adoption. The cleaner rides already accounted for almost one-fifth of global car sales in 2023, approaching 14 million, according to the International Energy Agency.
Still-available tax breaks stateside of up to $7,500, and yearly gas and maintenance savings of around $1,500, contribute to making the switch even more appealing. An EV prevents thousands of pounds of planet-warming fumes when replacing a gas-guzzler. That's true even in states where dirty fuels provide most of the electricity to charge them, per the U.S. Department of Energy.
What's more, the exhaust is a known lung-troubling gas. It contributes to asthma and other health risks, the Allergy & Asthma Network reported.
At Qnovo, the team plans to continue improving SentinelX by adding more diagnostic features. The software already boasts a better than 98.7% accuracy rate, EV Magazine reported.
"With SentinelX, Qnovo is enhancing EV safety and redefining the future of energy management across industries," the magazine's Stella Nolan wrote.
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