Bosch developing cloud-based swarm intelligence services to augment EV battery management systems
10 July 2019
To help electric vehicle batteries last longer, Bosch is developing new cloud services that supplement the individual vehicles’ battery-management systems.
Bosch is connecting electric-vehicle batteries with the cloud. Its data-based services mean we can substantially improve batteries’ performance and extend their service life.
—Dr. Markus Heyn, member of the board of management of Robert Bosch GmbH
Smart software functions in the cloud continually analyze the battery status and take appropriate action to prevent or slow down cell aging. These measures can reduce the wear and tear on the battery—the most expensive component of an electric vehicle—by as much as 20%, Bosch claims.
Real-time data gathered from the vehicle and its surroundings plays a key role. The cloud services utilize this data to optimize every recharging process and to provide drivers with tailored driving tips on how to conserve battery power via the dash display.
Didi Chuxing, a globally leading mobility platform based in China, is working with Bosch to introduce Battery in the Cloud across DiDi’s electric vehicle fleet. The aim is to optimize battery performance, thus benefiting both drivers and fleet operators within DiDi’s ecosystem.
According to experts, the average service life of today’s lithium-ion batteries is 8-10 years or between 500 and 1,000 charge cycles. Battery makers usually guarantee mileage of between 100,000 and 160,000 kilometers. But rapid battery charging, high numbers of charge cycles, an overly sporty driving style, and extremely high or low ambient temperatures are all sources of stress for batteries, which makes them age faster. Bosch’s cloud-based services are designed to recognize—and counter—these stress triggers.
All battery-relevant data—e.g. current ambient temperature and charging habits—is first transmitted in real time to the cloud, where machine-learning algorithms evaluate the data. With these services, Bosch is not only offering a window into the battery’s current status at all times, but enabling a reliable forecast of a battery’s remaining service life and performance to be made for the first time. Previously, it was not possible to make any accurate forecast of how quickly an electric-vehicle battery would wear out.
Another feature of the smart software functions is their use of the swarm principle: the algorithms used for analysis evaluate data gathered from an entire fleet, not just from individual vehicles. Swarm intelligence is the key to identifying more of the stress factors for vehicle batteries, and to identifying them more quickly.
The new insights gained into a battery’s current status enable Bosch to also actively protect it against aging. To give one example: fully-charged batteries age more quickly at particularly high or low ambient temperatures. Bosch’s cloud services thus ensure that batteries are not charged to 100% when conditions are too hot or too cold. By reducing the battery charge by only a few percentage points, the battery is protected against inadvertent wear and tear.
Data in the cloud will also help improve battery maintenance and repair. As soon as a battery fault or defect is identified, for example, the driver or fleet operator can be notified. This increases the chances that a battery can be repaired before it becomes irrevocably damaged or stops working altogether.
Finally, the cloud services also optimize the recharging process itself. The recharging process harbors the danger that the battery cells permanently lose some of their performance and capacity. Smart software in the cloud can calculate an individual charge curve for each recharging process, regardless of whether it takes place at home or elsewhere. This means the battery is recharged to the optimum level, helping conserve the cells.
Whereas existing apps with charge timers merely allow drivers to time the recharging process so that it is carried out when demand for electricity is low, the Bosch solution goes much further, offering a specially developed recharging process as part of the company’s new battery services. They optimize both fast and slow charging and control electricity and voltage levels during the recharging process, thus prolonging battery life.
'According to experts, the average service life of today’s lithium-ion batteries is 8-10 years or between 500 and 1,000 charge cycles. Battery makers usually guarantee mileage of between 100,000 and 160,000 kilometers. But rapid battery charging, high numbers of charge cycles, an overly sporty driving style, and extremely high or low ambient temperatures are all sources of stress for batteries, which makes them age faster. '
Nowhere near good enough to make long range BEVs other than an environmental disaster.
Costs remain sticky, as the materials alone in batteries mean that the notion of $100KWH is a fantasy at the pack level with present chemistries.
It is more like $180-220, as bottom up studies and the cost to buy a replacement confirm.
The average age of the US car fleet is over 11 years, and of course many have been involved in accidents and written off early so that decreases the average.
With batteries only lasting 8-10 years in favourable use, who the heck is going to pay for a new $15,000 battery pack in a car that old?
So they effective life of a car will be reduced from current practise, and the scrappage will occur far earlier.
Please note that this is not a comment on BEVs per se. as other chemistries which we have not got may up the lifespan to acceptable levels.
They are not going to be in mass production until 2025-30 though, assuming they pan out, and present plans for large numbers of long range BEVs are a big hit to the environment, not an improvement.
Posted by: Davemart | 10 July 2019 at 04:31 AM
Aiming for large numbers of BEVs while ignoring the rest of the fleet is a deliberate attempt to keep fossil fuel demand high. The best way to go after oil demand/carbon emissions is to make every vehicle at least a MHEV as soon as possible, and work on making most new vehicle sales either HEV or PHEV.
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 10 July 2019 at 06:04 AM
@ Davemart
Innolith claims a life expectancy for their cells =/> 50,000 cycles. Their pilot project on the Maryland grid excels above all other competitors.
Posted by: yoatmon | 10 July 2019 at 06:10 AM
@yoatman
I noted that my comments did not necessarily apply to all batteries, but they do to the ones we can do at the moment for cars, and for some time in the future.
If we give credence to Innoleth, we should note that they say:
'Buchin: The cost for commercially-available lithium-ion batteries is between $150 and $400 per kWh. We expect that when we bring this high-energy cell into production, it will cost less than $100 at the start and with economies of scale, the cost would reduce to below $50 per kWh for an EV application.'
https://about.bnef.com/blog/innolith-battery-strikes-flammable-lithium-ion-qa/
That cost for current batteries is right where I said it was, and nothing like the $100KWH and suchlike claims doing the rounds.
At that sort of level as I noted long range BEVs are more an expensive hobby than an alternative to ICE, and certainly not worth the billions of subsidy they have garnered.
Posted by: Davemart | 10 July 2019 at 08:56 AM
Why would you you worry about the "average" service life and/cost of batteries. Clearly Tesla is the only game in town and if the other autoco's don't respond they'll end up getting canned like BMW CEO.
Even though Musk often appears to be working from the Donald Trump playbook, I don't see how you can ignore his April 19th, 2019 tweet ....
"Model 3 drive unit & body is designed like a commercial truck for a million mile life. Current battery modules should last 300k to 500k miles (1500 cycles). Replacing modules (not pack) will only cost $5k to $7k."
Is Musk completely FOS? Maybe but his detractors have been saying that for years and it looks like he'll be around for a couple more.
Even if you consider gross exaggeration and say the body will only last 500,000 the battery 200,000 miles and refurbishing cost is 10 -12 K, those are pretty compelling metrics to me. I'd assume that Musk has as much information about the durability and cost of batteries so it really comes down to a matter of trust. On the one hand you have his 4:20 tweet which appears to have been deliberately misleading, or you can balance that with the fact that the company pretty much appears to be on-course to deliver the products they promise albeit somewhat delayed.
The best power train warranty available for my Honda is 160,000 km but I have no doubt it will remain serviceable for twice that, so I don't see why one would simply assume that the battery warranty is the actual life.
But this is all off topic. WRT the Bosch software, I'd expect this is something that Tesla has had deployed for some time now.
Posted by: Calgarygary | 10 July 2019 at 09:04 AM
@Calgarygary
I'll believe Musk's proclamations about Tesla car's and their batteries lifespan when the $420 share offer materialises.
Musk simply says whatever is convenient.
Posted by: Davemart | 10 July 2019 at 01:13 PM
“According to experts, the average service life of today’s lithium-ion batteries is 8-10 years or between 500 and 1,000 charge cycles. Battery”
Who are these experts ? 8 year warranties generally equate to considerably longer expected life spans.
20 years ago when we were pioneering high performance Flash based SSDs our flash manufacturer warranted their flash for 1 million writes but informed us they didn’t actually know how long they would last because they stopped testing at 10 million writes. We began testing them and got a single block failure at 17 million writes and were over 20 million without a second block failure when legal informed us we could not warrant our drives for more than the manufacturer even though we had wear leveling and reserve blocks.
Posted by: Gasbag | 10 July 2019 at 05:47 PM
Dave
So when I research "high mileage Teslas" I discover that there are a handful that have now gone over 300,000 km. Detailed articles on two vehicles owned by LA- Vegas shuttle service, Tesloop, say that a model x has logged over 500,000 km on its battery pack and actually is still better than 90% while a model s with 660,000 km (410,000 miles) is on its 3rd battery with the first replacement after about 190,000 miles and second after an additional 130,000 miles. Failures were attributed too overcharging in the first instance and manufacturing fault in the second. This is anecdotal of course and the age, usage and charging is atypical, but still to me it seems positive.
I would imagine that given the data Tesla is capable of collecting, they have a pretty good understanding of how their batteries will stand up and the factors that lead to degradation and measures that can be taken to improve and mitigate degradation rates. So if one 90 kwh battery is capable of 1000+ cycles then I'd speculate that they can figure out how to make 1000+ the norm if it isn't already.
Posted by: Calgarygary | 10 July 2019 at 05:56 PM
As a 2011 Leaf owner, I find it disappointing that Nissan has waited so long to even start improving their batteries; it's 8 years before they announced a range increase...what you have is a great little car chassis without development support from the maker, who forces the early adopters, about 340,000 buyers, to abandon their cars because Nissan charges more for a replacement battery than the used car sells for...there is an aftermarket for overhauled and range updated Leaf batteries if someone wants to jump in.
Posted by: Lad | 10 July 2019 at 08:28 PM
@Calgarygary
I would agree that Tesla probably have a good understanding of how long their batteries will last.
But what they say, especially when they can make it as unattributable as possible via email leaks etc, and what they do are radically different.
The examples of long life battery packs include all sorts of swaps for Tesloop which they elided under warranty stuff and where they changed it with paid for repairs.
There is also the somewhat different of calendar life.
It is not just Tesla who talk about 8 years or so for warranty.
I would agree that warranties understate so that companies don't get hit by them, but that does not need to be a massive understatement.
Finally they chopped the warranty for the 3 back to 100-120,000 miles depending on pack size.
They did not do that for the hell of it.
Other than random bloviation from Tesla, who have a record of saying anything they want until taken to court for it, I can find little evidence of this supposedly long life for batteries.
Nissan reckon they will get a couple of decades out of their far simpler packs, but not in cars, the lifespan they give for cars is of the same order, 8 years or so.
Tesla's CTO has repeatedly said that their batteries are not suitable for second life use.
In any case, even if the battery is repurposed for stationary storage, the old car is still likely to be scrapped if the replacement costs too much.
Posted by: Davemart | 11 July 2019 at 12:35 AM
Tesla have also been restricting charging speed and the amount of charge via OTA updates.
That is in cars 4 years old or so.
If their batteries are good for a million miles or whatever they claimed, and way over the 8-10 years I and others have given, why would they do that?
The simple explanation is that they are not telling the truth, and their batteries are already running into cycle and calendar life issues.
Posted by: Davemart | 11 July 2019 at 12:54 AM
DM
I don't own a Tesla or Tesla shares and at live at an elevation above 1000 m in a city where the economy is highly dependent on the production of oil so your point of view wrt batteries is somewhat reassuring, cause I'll survive.
Troubling however is that the latest leaked email suggested that in the 2nd quarter they produce and deliver a record number of cars and sofar that appears to be the case, although I suppose diligent sleuths will eventually find the lies, exaggerations and misrepresentations.
Posted by: Calgarygary | 11 July 2019 at 06:28 AM
“...That is in cars 4 years old or so.”
Why would they limit said update to cars over 4 years old? The simple explanation is the problem has been fixed.
Sorry To break the news to you Calgary but Tesla has actually been raising the charging capacity for contemporary vehicles via OTAs.
https://www.electrive.com/2019/06/11/tesla-raises-model-3-charge-capacity-to-200-kw/
Posted by: Gasbag | 11 July 2019 at 07:42 AM
@Gasbag
Tesla are introducing faster chargers, so on the 3 they are OTA'ing software to use it, but the average charge speed is going to be nothing like 200KW,
In typical Tesla fashion, it misleads grossly by naming the peak rate, which happens for just a few minutes.
But in any case, since I referred to 4 year old cars, I was obviously not talking about the Model 3 as it had not been out that long.
The cars in question are 2015 or so Model S and X cars which have been conveniently, for Tesla, updated by OTA restricting range and charge speed.
You can read all about it on the Tesla forums.
Posted by: Davemart | 11 July 2019 at 07:56 AM
“In typical Tesla fashion, it misleads grossly by naming the peak rate, which happens for just a few minutes.”
Misleads? They actually charge at a higher rate than the250 peak rate advertised albeit for only a few minutes but I don’t think that is misleading. Your average Joe isn’t going to know what that rate means other than it recharges faster than the competition. An engineer or EV driver should know that that isn’t enough information to determine how long it will take to add enough range. For their purposes.
GM tells me the Bolt can charge at 80 kW and add 90 miles in 30 minutes. Nissan tells me the Leaf can charge at 100kW and add 90 miles in 30 minutes. User tests of the TM3 show that it can charge at 255 kW and add 150 miles of range in under 15 minutes. It would not be a misrepresentation to suggest that the TM3 will recharge significantly faster than others.
As for industry average battery pack costs BNEF tracks and reports those annually. Your estimates were accurate in 2017 but contrary to predictions of naysayers battery pack costs have. continued to decline. In 2018 BNEF reported the industry average as $176 per KWH. For 2019 you can expect BNEF to report ~$150 per kWh and in 2020. ~$125. As you have pointed out there are some that are more expensive.. That also means that there are others which are less expensive. Market leaders will almost certainly make your fantasy of $100 per kWh a reality in2021.
Posted by: Gasbag | 11 July 2019 at 08:55 PM
Under $100/kWh improved performance batteries will be mass produced in six new very large automated factories in China by 2021/2022.
Those new affordable improved performance batteries will enable making much lower cost (made in China) $20K small EVs, good for 1500+ recharges, by 2025.
The next step with be with further improved lower cost ($50/kWh) batteries by 2030 or so. Small EVs using those new batteries will compete with small ICEVs @ $10k and even less.
Posted by: HarveyD | 14 July 2019 at 04:17 PM
3 days since last comment in this thread, and here you come in with something apropos of nothing AGAIN.
Made your quota for the week, AlzHarvey? Or is it that you just can't remember what you've already posted?
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 14 July 2019 at 07:30 PM