The Electric Vehicle Battery

The electric vehicle (EV) battery, also known as a traction battery is the source of energy used to power the electric motors of a Battery (BEV) or a Hybrid (HEV) electric vehicle.  They are usually classified as rechargeable (SECONDARY) batteries.
 
The most common battery types found in an (EV) use lithium-ion and lithium polymer battery chemistry. Why? These types of advanced batteries offer high energy density compared to their weight. 
 
Lithium-ion battery technology is the same type of battery commonly used in portable electronic devices (smartphones and laptops).
 
During electric vehicle operation the battery will hold “charge” and undergo repeated cycles of “discharge” when driving, and “charge” when the vehicle is plugged in.  Continuously repeating this process over time will affect the amount of charge the battery can hold over time.  As a consequence this decreases the range and time needed between each journey of charge.
 
Lithium-ion and lithium polymer batteries are recyclable, they also offer the opportunity for re-purposing used (EV) batteries for second life storage.

​What does this mean? At the end of the electric vehicle’s life the battery still has value unlike an internal combustion engine.