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L is for Lithium-Ion Battery

L is for Lithium-Ion Battery

Due to its high energy density, the lithium-ion battery has been the preferred energy storage device for Volkswagen e-models for years. A lithium-ion battery cell consists of an anode (carbon, copper foil), a separator (porous polyolefin foil, ceramic-coated), a cathode (lithium metal oxide, aluminium foil) and an electrolyte (organic solvents, lithium conducting salt, additives). When charging, the lithium ions migrate from the cathode to the anode and are stored there. The electrical energy – fed in from the power grid – is converted into chemical energy. During the discharge process – to operate the electric motor – the lithium ions migrate back to the cathode. The chemical energy is then converted back into electrical energy. Basically, five main raw materials are needed to manufacture lithium-ion battery cells for electric cars. On the cathode side, a compound of the elements cobalt, nickel and manganese functions through its structure as a storage location for the lithium charge carrier, on the anode side this is graphite. Lithium is also contained in the electrolyte. Lithium is currently regarded as an unrivalled charge carrier that will be irreplaceable for the foreseeable future, as no other element offers comparable properties for automotive battery applications.

Since 2017, Volkswagen has bundled the development of lithium-ion batteries in the Center of Excellence Salzgitter, which is responsible for all battery cells in the Volkswagen Group. The battery systems are mainly manufactured at the Volkswagen components plant in Braunschweig. The Group Components division, which is responsible for the drive systems and will become an independent division in January 2019, is currently expanding this location in order to manufacture up to half a million battery systems annually in Braunschweig in the future. The dynamic development of lithium-ion batteries at Volkswagen lays an important foundation for the success of the newly developed ID. generation electric vehicles that will be produced from 2019 and will be available from 2020.

< I is for ID.

M is for Modular Electrification Toolkit (MEB) >

More on the subject

Powerful and scalable
Volkswagen wants to make e-mobility attractive for millions of customers. The new battery system developed for the Mo-dular e-drive modular system helps to achieve this - with scalable ranges between 330 and more than 550 kilometers.
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The specified fuel consumption and emission data have been determined according to the measurement procedures prescribed by law. Since 1st September 2017, certain new vehicles are already being type-approved according to the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP), a more realistic test procedure for measuring fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Starting on September 1st 2018, the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) will be replaced by the WLTP in stages. Owing to the more realistic test conditions, the fuel consumption and CO2 emissions measured according to the WLTP will, in many cases, be higher than those measured according to the NEDC. For further information on the differences between the WLTP and NEDC, please visit www.volkswagen.de/wltp.

We are currently still required by law to state the NEDC figures. In the case of new vehicles which have been type-approved according to the WLTP, the NEDC figures are derived from the WLTP data. It is possible to specify the WLTP figures voluntarily in addition until such time as this is required by law. In cases where the NEDC figures are specified as value ranges, these do not refer to a particular individual vehicle and do not constitute part of the sales offering. They are intended exclusively as a means of comparison between different vehicle types. Additional equipment and accessories (e.g. add-on parts, different tyre formats, etc.) may change the relevant vehicle parameters, such as weight, rolling resistance and aerodynamics, and, in conjunction with weather and traffic conditions and individual driving style, may affect fuel consumption, electrical power consumption, CO2 emissions and the performance figures for the vehicle.

Further information on official fuel consumption figures and the official specific CO2 emissions of new passenger cars can be found in the “Guide on the fuel economy, CO2 emissions and power consumption of new passenger car models”, which is available free of charge at all sales dealerships and from DAT Deutsche Automobil Treuhand GmbH, Hellmuth-Hirth-Str. 1, D-73760 Ostfildern, Germany and at www.dat.de.