Variable SOC Ceiling for EV Battery Longevity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Maintaining electric vehicle batteries at full charge decreases their useful life and overall capacity, as it puts excessive stress on the batteries, leading to reduced longevity.
Innovation Solution
A controller in the vehicle inhibits battery charging when the state of charge (SOC) reaches a ceiling threshold, set based on average energy consumption, to keep the SOC between a ceiling and floor threshold, thereby extending battery life by preventing overcharging and ensuring adequate energy for travel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the battery is charged to full SOC (100%) during grid charging, then the battery capacity and energy availability are maximized, but the battery useful life and longevity are reduced due to excessive stress and overcharging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the charging parameter (SOC ceiling threshold) from a fixed 100% to a variable threshold that adapts based on battery age, temperature, and drive cycle patterns. The controller dynamically adjusts the ceiling threshold parameter to optimize between capacity utilization and battery longevity, preventing chronic overcharging while ensuring adequate energy availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The charging strategy transitions from a static full-charge approach to a dynamic adaptive strategy. The SOC ceiling threshold is no longer fixed but dynamically adjusted based on real-time conditions (battery age, temperature) and historical data (average drive cycles), allowing the system to optimize charging behavior continuously rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the SOC ceiling threshold is set high to ensure adequate energy for travel, then the energy availability is improved, but the battery stress increases and longevity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring battery performance, temperature, and drive cycle patterns, then using this information to adjust the SOC ceiling threshold. The controller calculates average energy consumption from historical drive cycles and feeds this back into the charging strategy, creating a closed-loop system that adapts to actual usage patterns rather than relying on fixed thresholds.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary calculation of the SOC ceiling threshold based on predicted energy needs from average drive cycle consumption before charging begins. By pre-determining the appropriate threshold based on historical data and current conditions, the system avoids both overcharging and undercharging, ensuring adequate energy availability while protecting battery longevity from the start of each charging event.
3Quantity of substance
If the battery is maintained at full charge to maximize capacity utilization, then the energy storage is optimized, but the battery experiences excessive stress leading to reduced useful life
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by proactively preventing overcharging before it occurs. The controller calculates and sets the SOC ceiling threshold below 100% based on battery age, temperature, and drive cycle patterns, thereby preemptively counteracting the harmful effects of chronic overcharging and excessive battery stress before they can damage the battery.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle includes a battery. The vehicle includes a controller configured to inhibit battery charge. The charge inhibition is responsive to state of charge (SOC) of the battery achieving a cascading ceiling threshold during grid charge that decreases each day of a multiday period such that each day an SOC increase during the grid charge to achieve the ceiling threshold is same and the SOC achieves a floor threshold upon completion of a final day drive cycle of the multiday period.