Researchers successfully operate lithium-ion battery at frigid temperatures

Aluminum could be a solution to keeping electric vehicles running longer when the mercury drops. 

That's because a team at the Chinese Academy of Sciences has successfully tested a lithium-ion battery with an aluminum anode that operated well at minus 13 degrees Fahrenheit, according to Car News China. 

It's an exciting advancement, but one with limited prospects in the United States — for now. That's thanks to decades-long policy designed to protect the American auto sector from cheaper Chinese products. However, CNN reported that chilly auto trade may be thawing, as President Donald Trump indicated that he'd be OK to open up the market if foreign companies build plants in the U.S. 

Meanwhile, academy experts may have batteries that are ready for North America's variable weather conditions if the east-to-west vehicle market picks up. The team has replaced common graphite with aluminum for the negative electrode and completed the first extreme-condition EV trial run for a battery of its type. 

"Laboratory tests showed that voltage and discharge rates remained stable over repeated cycles," CNC reported. 

While battery ranges and charge speeds have improved greatly — Edmunds has a list of hundreds of models that provide 300 miles on a charge — cold weather can limit performance. 

Consumer Reports testing found that range typically starts to drop at 40 degrees. 

"In our winter testing at about 16 degrees, we found that cold weather depletes about 25% of range when cruising at 70 mph compared with driving in the same conditions during mild weather in the mid-60s," CR's Jeff S. Bartlett wrote. 

The academy's battery, tested in a Geely EX5, demonstrated performance stability. Lab analysis from minus 94 degrees to 176 degrees also produced promising results. It's a sampling of extreme arctic-to-desert conditions intolerable to humans. The pack was also put through a  low-temperature fast-charge assessment.

The battery's discharge efficiency was above 92% during standard driving. It charged up to 90% in about 20 minutes — all within safety limits. The analysis differs from examination of other emerging pack types because it was a "real-world" trial, per CNC. 

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The cold-weather performance is a practical improvement for EV drivers in regions with changing seasons, perhaps providing a final nudge to motorists who have been on the fence about making the switch. 

EVs provide reliable, clean, and quiet travel, without harmful tailpipe exhaust, per the American Lung Association. EV drivers typically save about $1,500 annually in gas and maintenance costs, as well. And certain states still offer incentives to help with the purchase, as Kelley Blue Book reported. 

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Also in China, Contemporary Amperex Technology is developing a sodium-ion pack that can operate well in extreme cold. Meanwhile, Dallas-based Solidion is working on tech to help lithium batteries charge in five minutes in severe weather. 

On the road, the academy's breakthrough could provide a pack type that masters subzero temperatures reliably. Other innovations, such as a car from Chinese automaker Nio that can shake the snow off, are a bit gimmicky by comparison. 

"Additional testing and integration work will determine readiness for wider adoption in production vehicles," CNC reported about the cold-weather packs. 

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