This paper explores a range of approaches aimed at enhancing battery performance while reducing production costs and mitigating existing limitations. These approaches span from theoretical frameworks to practical advancements in anode and cathode materials.
Recent Progress in the US EV Industry: Greener and Safer EV Battery Technologies
Raj Shah, Muhammad Ahmad Rao, Mathew Stephen Roshan | Koehler Instrument Company
Introduction
In recent years, electric vehicles have grown substantially in the United States, driven by both technological advancements and supportive government policies. In 2023, sales surpassed 1.3 million units, marking a 47% increase from the previous year [1]. A central focus of this growth is the battery of the electric vehicle itself, which plays an integral role in determining the overall cost, safety, and environmental impact. In today’s world, lithium-ion batteries remain the dominant technology in the electric vehicle industry, powering over 90% of global electric vehicles [2]. Despite the success of lithium-ion batteries, their high carbon emissions in internal combustions engines are the main contributor to pollution and climate change [2]. Furthermore, these batteries present notable operational and sustainability challenges, including thermal instability, restricted lifecycles, and limitations in recycling. This paper explores a range of approaches aimed at enhancing battery performance while reducing production costs and mitigating existing limitations. These approaches span from theoretical frameworks, such as electron spin polarization (ESP), to practical advancements in anode and cathode materials, solid-state electrolytes, separator enhancements, and improved casing design. The review focuses on contemporary research published between 2022 and 2025, addressing current limitations, recent breakthroughs in materials and chemistry, improvements in monitoring and management, and the persistent challenges facing lithium-ion batteries.
Current Limitations in Lithium-ion Batteries
Lithium-ion batteries deliver great performance but continuously encounter numerous technical issues. Firstly, they are highly susceptible to overcharging and degradation, oftentimes resulting in overheating and, in severe cases, thermal runaways or battery ignition and explosions [6]. Lithium-ion batteries achieving these states of untamed heat generation could have temperatures reaching and eclipsing nearly 150°C [6]. Furthermore, they exhibit pronounced temperature sensitivity, with efficiency declining approximately 30% in environments in environments ranging from -10°C to 40°C, a commonly experienced temperature range across the U.S. climates [7]. Such limitations not only shorten battery lifespans but also pose critical safety concerns. Cathode materials, particularly those consisting of nickel-magnesium-cobalt (NMC), are often most vulnerable to degradation, as repeated particle expansion and contraction accelerate crack formations [7],[8]. Once crack formations appear, the uniform transport of lithium-ions is disturbed, leading to a reduced battery lifespan and the creation of hotspots [6]. Even newly developed sulfide electrolytes face comparable issues with interfacial cracking, despite their higher ionic conductivity [13]. Likewise, liquid based electrolytes in conventional lithium-ion systems can induce other forms of deformations at the anode. In fact, separators and casings have been the primary area of focus as potential points of failure [2], [5]. Additional testing shows that new separators have improved cycle stability, demonstrating that HNTs-reinforced separators retained over 80% of their original capacity after 200 charge-discharge cycles, which is a significant improvement from unmodified polymer membranes [9], [14]. This innovation aims to limit dendrite formation, which in turn extends cycle life and reduces likelihood of short circuits. With examples like these presented, not only are the limitations of current lithium-ion batteries highlighted but the current innovations to this technology too.
Green Chemistry in Lithium-ion Sustainability
Contemporary research focuses on identifying alternative chemistries that could outperform lithium ions, not only in terms of performance but also in safety and sustainability. To achieve this, every component of the cell is examined, from the anode to the electrolytes and separators. Traditional anodes, typically graphite based, have functional limits; hence, alternatives like silicon-based anodes are being explored since they can carry as much as ten times more lithium per unit mass [5]. Additionally, further testing has shown improvements in their stabilization and reduced structural breakdowns during charging [5]. It is also projected that this switch will reduce costs and increase cycle stability, with estimations that these sodium-ion batteries could potentially be 30%-40% cheaper than conventional lithium-ion systems [12]. A limitation to this, however, is that they carry far less energy density of around 150-180 Wh/kg compared to the 250-300 Wh/kg associated with lithium-ion systems, rendering sodium-ion batteries far more suitable for short range vehicles rather than long range applications [12]. Commercially, sodium-ion batteries are limited to pilot cars overseas and are not commonly found in the United States [12]. Alternatively, silicon-based anodes offer very high capacity, potentially storing ten times the amount of lithium ions than graphite-based anodes, which offer an increased EV range but limited ~300% volume expansion that is extremely susceptible to cracking and rapid degradation [5]. When examining cathodes, sulfide-based solid forms show the most promise in improved ionic conductivity, but they still carry the risks of cracking and other forms of degradation [8], [13]. On the other hand, there seems to be a great demand and push towards solid state electrolytes due to their significantly greater energy densities, with readings around 450 Wh/kg, a figure that is almost twice the value of that in current lithium-based counterparts [10]. Separators are yet another key component. As discussed in the previous section, halloysite-modified separators are a current focus; they not only resist thermal shrinkage but also improve the overall quality of cycle life by limiting physical deformations and improve stability [90], [14]. With all this in mind, emerging technologies not only promise safer operation but also the potential for significant gains in energy capacity. Nonetheless, critical challenges such as volume expansion, material degradation, and scalability continue to hinder widespread replacement of conventional graphite-based systems. Other research examines beyond materials and into the realm of theoretical innovations. One of these innovations is electron spin polarization (ESP), an alignment of electrons that spin in specified directions, which is a vital aspect in enhancing rechargeable batteries [3]. With this approach, there is a reduction in energy loss during the electromechanical reactions inside the battery, with simulations showing increases in charging efficiency by up to 30% and extended life cycle by 25% [3]. By addressing the situation from the quantum level, there are great gains in efficiency and durability in applications, but this remains largely theoretical. Current efforts continue to prioritize material-level advancements due to their more immediate practical applications.
Algorithmic Battery Monitoring and Control Systems
Beyond chemistry, battery safety and efficiency have great dependence on monitoring and control systems. An area that has seen great progress has been state-of-charge (SOC) estimation, whose readings are used to prevent overcharging and extend usable lifespan. A notable, new approach known as Unscented Kalman Bucy Filter (UKBF) is specifically designed to help tackle the issue addressed with misread estimations by utilizing advanced statistical algorithms. The internal state of a battery is read by filtering out any extraneous measurements and concentrating on its chemical processes as well as the vehicle’s monitoring system. With the implementation of algorithms, there was a reduction in root mean square errors (RMSE) in SOC estimates to as low as 0.003, which is a significant 80%-90% reduction in errors from prior models with estimates between 0.015 and 0.030 [6]. A lower RMSE reading indicates that the system’s readings very closely resemble reality, allowing minimal chances for error and other unexpected faults. Especially when in the case of EVs, high levels of accuracy are critical, as even minor miscalculations have major impacts on driving range, safety, performance, consumer trust amongst other properties.
Another major improvement in modern day research is battery management systems (BMS), which are used to measure and monitor the thermal behavior, voltage and charging operations of the battery. They have now become standard in electric vehicles, and recent analyses have shown that the implementation of BMSs extended service life by up to 20%-30% [2]. Furthermore, electric vehicles have various interactions with the electric grid and external infrastructures. With the integration of smart charging, electric vehicles can optimize their charges, easing the strains on grids while reducing the costs associated with it. This is made possible through systematic applications of algorithms and forms of communication that allow electric vehicles to ascertain the most cost-effective charging times, promoting an overall more environmentally sustainable ecosystem. Furthermore, Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) is an emerging wireless technology under development that would enable EVs to discharge energy into homes and grids and contribute to renewable energy use [6]. This not only is a great benefit in cost savings but also allows EVs to act as pseudo backup generators, which can be highly beneficial during blackouts. These innovative yet sustainable breakthroughs coupled with material advances in anodes, cathodes, and electrolytes form greater real-world reliability for the electric vehicle industry.
Future Perspectives
Although we have seen a multitude of improvements, there are still drawbacks that must be addressed. Cost remains a recurring concern, as current solid-state batteries are several times more expensive than conventional lithium-ion systems [10]. This slows down commercialization, not only as a manufacturing cost but affordability for consumers. In 2023, Mubarok, Kartini, and Drew conducted a survey of 243 participants in Indonesia regarding EV adaptation. Around 55% of respondents highlighted costs and charging infrastructure to be their main challenges for adopting EVs into their lives [11]. Although region-specific and outside the United States, these findings align with global trends and mirror surveys conducted in the United States between 2021 and 2023, which highlighted upfront costs and insufficient public charging networks as key challenges [1], [2]. Another major challenge is the constant sensitivity to environmental variables, usually extreme heat or cold, which plays a big role in unpredictability [7]. As this report primarily focuses on the United States, concerns are more pronounced for consumers in northern states that are subjected to frosty winters. Thus, highlighting these challenges is not only useful for the researchers but also the consumers, announcing current limitations in lithium-ion technology and proposing a credible guide to the advancements in this field for a more well-rounded understanding. Not only that, but this approach also helps create a roadmap beyond these past few years and aims to extend research going into the next decade and beyond.
Conclusion
In the past three years, battery research in the United States has gone through significant research and advancements phases. The overarching goal of this research is to enable a much safer, cleaner and more efficient world of electric vehicles directly from its core: EV batteries. There have been many forms of promising technological advancements such as ESP, MBS, UKBF and SOC, all of which have shown great contributions to creating safer and longer lasting batteries. While ESPs remain as a frontier for theoretical approaches, the most impactful progress was made in practical fields focusing on silicon and sodium anodes, sulfide cathodes, solid-state electrolytes, and improved separators and casings. Moreover, these advancements open doors to broader sustainability networks and monitoring technologies to further ensure these chemistries obtain the most prestigious level of safety and efficiency. Despite substantial progress made within the past years, there are still many lingering challenges, particularly with costs, consumer perception, and scalability that continue to hinder mass-market adaptation. With continued research and engineering, steady improvements are expected, and new forms of battery technology will eventually reach the market. For now, this represents only the beginning, as the trajectory is clear: EV batteries are rapidly improving in various ways and will continue to drive widespread adoption in the United States.
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Dr. Raj Shah is a Director at Koehler Instrument Company in New York, Holtsville, NY. He is an elected Fellow by his peers at ASTM, IChemE, CMI, STLE, AIC, NLGI, INSTMC, AOCS, Institute of Physics, The Energy Institute and The Royal Society of Chemistry. An ASTM Eagle award recipient, Dr. Shah recently coedited the bestseller, “Fuels and Lubricants handbook”, details of which are available at ASTM’s Long-Awaited Fuels and Lubricants Handbook 2nd Edition Now Available (https://bit.ly/3u2e6GY).He earned his doctorate in Chemical Engineering from The Pennsylvania State University and is a Fellow from The Chartered Management Institute, London. Dr. Shah is also a Chartered Scientist with the Science Council, a Chartered Petroleum Engineer with the Energy Institute and a Chartered Engineer with the Engineering council, UK. Dr. Shah was recently granted the honourific of “Eminent engineer” with Tau beta Pi, the largest engineering society in the USA. He is on the Advisory board of directors at Farmingdale university (Mechanical Technology) , Auburn Univ ( Tribology ), SUNY, Farmingdale, (Engineering Management) and State university of NY, Stony Brook ( Chemical engineering/ Material Science and engineering). An Adjunct Professor at the State University of New York, Stony Brook, in the Department of Material Science and Chemical engineering, Raj also has approximately 700 publications and has been active in the energy industry for over 3 decades. More information on Raj can be found at https://bit.ly/3QvfaLX
Contact: rshah@koehlerinstrument.com
Mathew Roshan is a Chemical and Molecular Engineering Undergraduate Student at Stony Brook University where he is a research assistant at the Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center performing research on carbon capture and hydrogen storage . He also works as an senior intern under Dr. Raj Shah studying tribology, alternative energy, and fuels at Koehler Instrument Company and is a member of the SBU chapter of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)
Muhammad Ahmad Rao is an undergraduate student who is a member of a thriving internship program under the leadership of Raj Shah
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The content & opinions in this article are the author’s and do not necessarily represent the views of AltEnergyMag
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