How can e-mobility and sustainable energy ecosystems create and deliver greater value to electric vehicle (EV) owners? Analog Devices' electrification solutions product line, Analog Devices Recharge, offers a new definition. ADI Recharge improves electric vehicle operation and increases the lifetime value of the battery, ultimately helping to reduce the total cost of ownership of electric vehicles. ADI is working with Oems, Tier 1 suppliers, battery manufacturers, power companies and other stakeholders to build an unprecedented information ecosystem using EV battery data.
Electric cars are on the rise
The combination of forward-looking government policies, technological advances and the automotive industry's commitment to sustainability has created a powerful force to accelerate mass market adoption of electric vehicles. However, many people still cannot afford electric cars, and many others are still confused about the value of electric vehicles. Government economic policies can support the EV agenda to some extent, but disruptive innovation is taking place in electrification technologies across transport and energy networks, and business services must take the lead in breaking down remaining barriers to EV adoption.
Technology companies have an important role to play. An important factor in improving affordability is the use of smarter and more efficient battery packs and powertrains. These systems must be safe, reliable, and robust to maintain high performance throughout the life cycle of the vehicle. We need advanced technology to produce quality cells, make battery packs suitable for robotic assembly, support zero cobalt chemicals such as LFP, and enable a circular battery life cycle so that they can be recycled or reused in energy storage systems.
Semiconductors and software lead the way to sustainable transportation
ADI Recharge, ADI's family of advanced electrification solutions, provides disruptive capabilities across the automotive value chain, including vehicle/fleet owners, Oems and Tier 1 suppliers. ADI Recharge includes advanced battery technology, on-board chargers, power management and isolation technology solutions. The combination of these solutions transforms electric vehicle batteries and powertrains into a technologically advanced part of the vehicle's overall capability. At its heart is the ADI Battery Management System (BMS), a complete system-level solution that includes not only hardware but also software drivers and tools, supports over-the-air software updates, and is certified to a high standard for automotive cybersecurity (ISO 21434 CAL-4).
The ADI network protocol fully supports wired and wireless operations. The solution not only enables Oems to extend electric vehicle designs across their entire fleet, it also brings safe edge intelligence to the cells. It turns the battery pack into a software-defined platform and the vehicle into a securely connected edge node.
Figure 1. A typical multi-component wired BMS network (left) and a simpler arrangement enabled by wBMS technology (right)
Robust battery insight platform
ADI is helping to create a new ecosystem where value chains can leverage real-time battery data insights and deploy innovative solutions that improve the life cycle value of batteries and the operational performance of EVs, leading to better outcomes for EV/fleet owners. Based on our proven, industry-leading, high-precision cell monitoring sensing capabilities, ADI solutions leverage edge security intelligence, embedded software, and wireless communication links to provide real-time battery data insights that are critical to developing new systems and services for the full battery life cycle.
These capabilities give vehicle/fleet owners the opportunity to benefit from a value-based pricing structure, as well as manufacturers and suppliers the opportunity to improve variable costs and reduce overhead, while achieving faster time to market and higher production line efficiencies. These innovations also help create opportunities for more reliable integration of electric vehicles with clean energy grids.
So, what does the ADI Battery Insight platform look like from start to finish?
1.Start with the data source - smart sensors on the cell wirelessly collect data to a central management platform, which feeds the processed insights to the BMS Engine Control Unit (ECU). ADI offers a production-grade software module from which insights can be accessed, and the platform can be reconfigured via a simple API.
2.Take a closer look at the edge of the Insight platform - the first and crucial integrated circuit (IC) connected to the cell is Analog Devices' seventh generation cell monitoring sensor. Based on ADI's advanced measurement capabilities, the sensor adds new features that enable breakthrough data insights. It accurately analyzes the battery's charging status and health with excellent accuracy, which is guaranteed throughout its life cycle. The sensor consumes only 1/20 of the power of its predecessor, and some of the energy saved can be used to process valuable insights at the edge. Finally, a single IC can detect a battery stack up to 100 V or 24 cells in series, making it a highly integrated and energy-efficient battery sensor.
3.Secure Radio Frequency Microcontroller Unit (RF MCU) - The IC's embedded software controls sensor operation and processes data, which is then fed into ADI's insight algorithms. These algorithms generate insights that enable more accurate estimates of state of charge (SoC) for applications such as fast charging and range extension. The RF MCU's ultra-robust radio and embedded networking software transmits insights to the BMS ECU. Each RF MCU includes an integrated safety subsystem that complies with ISO 21434 CAL-4. A key feature is that each IC has a unique security identity, with which an insight history of each battery can be created.
4.Central Processing (BMS ECU) - ADI algorithms fuse processed data from multiple edge nodes to produce battery pack and vehicle-level insights.
System value over the battery life cycle
Oems are rapidly electrifying their fleets. Below we discuss some important opportunities to facilitate continuous value delivery.
Automated manufacturing of electric vehicles
ADI Recharge requires no harness. This enhances the robot manufacturing capabilities of Oems, enabling Oems to optimize production line efficiency, reliability, battery pack assembly, and manufacturing costs. The system supports all known battery chemicals, including low-cost ones, and it increases the modularity of battery packs, allowing EV production to scale flexibly - from entry-level to premium. Because the wireless architecture is so robust, software and network upgrades can reduce battery material requirements. Compared to wired networks, wireless networks can be implemented quickly and easily, greatly reducing the development cycle time. Analog Devices' seventh generation cell monitoring sensors also deliver architecturally level savings - up to 24 channels can be detected with a single IC, reducing coupling requirements, and excellent EMC performance without external components such as capacitors.
Figure 2:Sentinel wBMS system
Digital twins for battery packs
The era of the software vehicle has arrived. ADI systems provide highly accurate digital twinning services for battery packs. The goal is to demonstrate ultra-robust RF performance long before prototypes are available, making the design a success once and for all. This helps improve battery pack design and planning, enabling a significantly higher return on investment during the development phase.
Improve vehicle reliability
Using a wireless solution removes the wiring harness, which not only saves costs, but also eliminates potential sources of failure in the vehicle. Over time, wires and connectors can degrade or fail. In addition, the platform can autonomously run deep battery tests during manufacturing and vehicle operation to identify early signs of defects/failures and avoid serious safety issues for the end customer.
High standard cybersecurity certification and battery passport
When the ecosystem builds new systems and value-added services around battery data, transparency, security, and ease of deployment are critical. Analog Devices introduced this technology into mass production as a turnkey solution with safety in mind at every level. ADI's wBMS is certified to a high standard for automotive cybersecurity (ISO 21434 CAL-4). Each wBMS IC contains a secure ID - an essential part of achieving the industry's goal of a "battery passport."
Improve electric vehicle operation and performance
The wBMS Insight platform leverages Analog Devices' seventh-generation cell monitoring sensors and edge algorithms to achieve faster charging speeds, longer range and longer battery life with full safety. The ability to support software updates ensures continuous improvement in battery and powertrain performance. The secure wireless feature also means that the condition of the battery pack can be easily analyzed. If a fault is detected, the wireless configuration simplifies disassembly and replacement.
Seamless transition to battery cascade utilization
Battery packs account for more than 30% of the retail price of electric vehicles (2023), so there are economic incentives across the value chain to actively foster a tiered utilization market. wBMS accurately tracks the health of the battery throughout its life cycle and determines the resale value of the battery pack, thus ensuring that buyers and sellers can trust each other. This will allow the battery to be used as an asset to compensate for some of the initial investment and indirectly transfer the value of its savings to the vehicle/fleet owner. Since there is no harness, the battery pack can be disassembled more quickly and cost-effectively, enabling smooth battery cascade utilization and recycling applications.
Figure 3: Battery packs are easier to service, reuse and recycle
Integration of electric mobility and clean energy grids
The proliferation of electric vehicles has led to increased demand for charging stations and put additional strain on the grid, making it uniquely dynamic in both time and space. Energy storage and conversion, combined with energy management, will turn EVs into an important and valuable tool for grid stabilization.
ADI wBMS 'smart battery software and wireless links for electric vehicles and energy storage systems (ESS) help coordinate the flow of energy on the clean energy grid to manage supply and demand more efficiently and smoothly. Implementing dynamic charging rates can optimize charging schedules and get better electricity prices.
Accelerating progress towards a more sustainable future
Looking ahead, we find that electric vehicles are just the beginning of a massive global shift toward sustainability. Advanced technology solutions are needed at both ends of the charging line. The number of batteries will continue to proliferate, and with more and more batteries using different chemical materials, we need new insights to enable battery recycling.
Achieving a sustainable future also means developing ethical norms, and those battery chemicals that avoid the use of conflict minerals, such as zero cobalt LFP, will continue to be favored in the market. Ultimately, using our innovations in precision management, control, and real-time signal processing, ADI brings intelligent solutions to every node edge of the ecosystem, ensuring the reliable integration of electrified transportation and clean grids for a more sustainable future.
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