Thermal management has been an issue for as long as there have been engine-driven vehicles - because the temperature of the engine and surrounding components can affect the performance and safety of the vehicle. Beyond normal thermal thresholds, the consequences of poor thermal management can be as inconvenient as overheating, or even as devastating as a fire.

Electric vehicle thermal management is in the midst of a revolution

All makes and models of vehicles are converting from fossil fuels to electricity. While it will be some time before all modes of transportation are electrified, the fact is that the future of transportation is evolving in this way. All-electric vehicles are beginning to dominate the roads, and within just a few years they will outnumber conventional cars in the vehicle fleet. In the near future, airplanes, ships and trains will also use battery technology. As with their traditional fossil fuel powered counterparts, thermal management of electric vehicles is important, if not more important. In addition to large-scale charging infrastructure and range, thermal management of electric vehicles (primarily batteries) is a major hurdle to making alternative models viable. Figuring out the mechanisms for controlling battery and engine temperatures means creating cars that meet consumer expectations of having a car that can go to the supermarket, make short trips, and take long trips with friends. Now with electric vehicles, a good thermal management system ensures that the next generation of transportation remains reliable and safe, and that it can meet the demands of normal and long-term use - something that would have been unthinkable twenty years ago! However, electric vehicle technology is now also vulnerable. That's because it requires a stable temperature-controlled environment to operate at optimal performance and have a long service life. More importantly, thermal battery events pose a unique safety risk that drivers, passengers, first responders and vehicle manufacturers have never had to monitor or respond to, namely thermal runaway. For EV manufacturers, a fast, accurate and responsive thermal management system is an absolute necessity for vehicle design - from the battery pack to the engine block.

How Battery Thermal Management Systems Affect Electric Vehicle Battery Performance

"As the most expensive part of a vehicle, monitoring the battery health of an electric vehicle is critical to maximizing efficiency and performance." At the heart of every electric vehicle is its lithium-ion battery pack. Without its power, an EV is nothing more than a glorified replica of its conventional counterpart. Sensor technology strategically integrated into EV battery packs helps users monitor power, not only to measure how far their vehicle can travel, but also to gauge the remaining life of the battery. Smart battery management systems (BMS) ensure that vehicles have enough energy to reach their destination despite traffic jams, snow storms or other obstacles. While EV battery thermal management systems help manage temperature and energy flow, sensors help regulate the system itself and provide alerts of potential problems.