Battery Management System: A Vital Need for Safer Electric Vehicles

The combustion of hydrocarbon fuel in internal combustion engines is never perfect. Besides carbon dioxide and water, the combustion yields contain a certain amount of nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxides (CO), and unburned hydrocarbons (HC), all of which are poisonous to a human’s health. Electric cars work on rechargeable batteries instead of an engine. These cars can be charged using charging stations installed by the service providers at different locations. Throughout the life cycle of electric vehicles, they emit two times less carbon dioxide (CO2) than diesel engines. For cars driven on sustainable electricity, carbon dioxide emissions may go down by more than almost 10 times. The well-to-wheel emissions and efficiencies right from the fuel withdrawal to its shipping and storing in a fuel tank of a vehicle also need to take into consideration. The electric vehicles produce almost zero particulates and nitrogen oxides (NOx). To ensure the proper working of battery-operated vehicles and to enhance battery life and performance, a properly designed battery management system (BMS) is very crucial. This paper emphasizes the key battery parameters and their estimations. An efficient and full-proof battery management system (BMS) is essential for lithium-ion battery (LIB) power-driven systems such as electric vehicles (EVs). The intention is to provide an insight into the current developments as well as to present an enlightening guide to the research fraternity for forthcoming developments by emphasizing the problems, emerging developments, and challenges in the field of battery management systems.