Research into giving used electric vehicle batteries a second life is advancing quickly. Scientists are exploring ways to significantly shorten charging time toward a full charge in about 20 minutes and to develop algorithms that maximize the lifespan of these battery packs. This work points toward a future market where millions of cars would benefit from smarter battery reuse and optimized charging strategies.
The Technological Energy Institute (ITE), affiliated with the Valencia Community Network of Technological Institutes (Redit), leads the Promet project. The initiative investigates the causes behind lithium battery degradation in electric vehicles and tests options to extend battery life while reducing the risk of premature failure. This research aims to translate laboratory insights into practical guidelines for longer-lasting battery performance in everyday driving.
According to Juan Gilabert, who coordinates the Promet project and serves in the ITE Battery unit, aging, external temperatures, varied charging and discharging rates, and calendar aging — the degradation simply caused by the passage of time — all influence battery health. These factors interact in complex ways, and understanding their combined impact helps researchers model how degradation progresses under real-world conditions.
The captioned image accompanying the article shows the evolving outlook for electric mobility as charging times shrink. The researchers note that breakthroughs in materials science and battery management technologies are essential to moving toward faster charging while preserving battery integrity.
Gilabert explains that the study of these factors yields mathematical models that describe why and how degradation occurs. The next step in Promet is to derive a charging profile — a time schedule and charging characteristics — that optimizes battery health when charging these electric vehicles. Such profiles could guide charging stations and vehicle onboard systems toward safer, more efficient charging routines.
Promet is funded by the Valencia Institute for Business Competitiveness (Ivace) through Feder funds, with the aim of boosting innovation in battery technology for electric cars. The project emphasizes the search for new materials and the development of advanced algorithms for battery management. This alignment with broader European goals reflects a push to achieve rapid charging capabilities without compromising battery longevity.
Indeed, the European Union has set ambitious targets for fast charging that respects battery health. While current developments show charging times around an hour in many scenarios, the ongoing research seeks to push toward that 20-minute target while maintaining battery integrity and safety. The ongoing dialogue between material science, electronics, and vehicle integration is central to realizing this improvement in practice.
Within this context, ITE has launched projects to identify next-generation materials that enhance battery components, especially cathodes, and to reduce the cobalt content wherever possible. Cobalt is a limited resource, and reducing its use while maintaining performance is a priority for sustainable battery design.
In addition, Gilabert notes that the institute’s Battery unit is focusing on battery management system (BMS) algorithms. These algorithms can utilize Promet’s mathematical models to guide decisions such as when to fast-charge and under what conditions the vehicle can safely perform a rapid charge. The goal is to embed intelligent charging logic into the vehicle and charging infrastructure for safer, faster charging without compromising longevity.
battery life
There is growing interest in second-life applications for batteries once they are no longer used for propulsion. The Battery unit highlights that batteries typically retain useful energy down to a threshold around 70% to 80% of their original capacity for certain secondary uses. Beyond that, performance becomes insufficient for automotive needs, but can still support stationary storage, grid support, or other less demanding roles.
Gilabert notes that innovation in maximizing the usefulness of batteries is accelerating. In 2021, more than 6 million electric cars were sold globally, with Europe accounting for a sizable portion of those sales. This scale underscores the urgency of developing reliable, scalable strategies for repurposing batteries and optimizing charging routines as the fleet grows. The convergence of material science, power electronics, and data-driven management is reshaping how the industry approaches both performance and sustainability in electric mobility.