Course
Battery Technology Academy
An engineering-level course on EV batteries — chemistry, pack architecture, management electronics, thermal design and the whole life cycle from first charge to recycling. Built around an eight-view battery explorer, ion and charging simulators and nine engineering calculators.
By the end, you'll be able to
- Explain how a lithium-ion cell stores and releases energy
- Compare cathode and anode chemistries on real engineering criteria
- Read a pack architecture and identify every major component
- Describe what a battery management system measures and enforces
- Predict how usage patterns affect state of health over years
- Understand second life, recycling and battery economics
Module 1
Cell chemistry
How cells work and why chemistries differ.
6 lessons
- 1How a lithium-ion cell worksIons in the electrolyte, electrons in the wire — the whole story in one diagram.12 min
- 2NMC, LFP, NCA and LMFPWhy manufacturers pick different cathodes for different cars.11 min
- 3Graphite, silicon and lithium metal anodesWhere the next big energy-density gains are coming from.10 min
- 4Voltage, capacity, C-rate and energyThe four numbers that describe any cell, and how they connect.9 min
- 5Energy cells versus power cellsWhy a long-range saloon and a hot hatch use different cells at the same chemistry.8 min
- 6Solid-state and next-generation chemistriesSodium-ion, solid electrolytes and what is genuinely close to production.10 min
Module 2
Pack architecture
Cells, modules, formats and structural packs.
6 lessons
- 1Guided tour of a battery packEight views, ten components, every failure mode — the flagship explorer.15 min
- 2Cylindrical, prismatic and pouchFormat decides cooling, packaging efficiency, cost and repairability.10 min
- 3Modules, cell-to-pack and structural packsHow manufacturers deleted the module to win back volume and mass.11 min
- 4400 V and 800 V architecturesWhy doubling voltage halves current, and what it costs.10 min
- 5Mechanical design and crash protectionSills, cross-members, intrusion limits and the sealed enclosure.9 min
- 6Cross-section walkthroughLayer by layer, from road surface to cabin floor.8 min
Module 3
Battery management
Measurement, estimation, balancing and safety.
6 lessons
- 1What a battery management system actually doesMeasurement, estimation, protection and communication.11 min
- 2Estimating state of chargeCoulomb counting, open-circuit voltage and why LFP is hard.10 min
- 3Cell balancingPassive bleed, active transfer, and why one weak cell caps the pack.9 min
- 4State of health and capacity fadeWhat SOH means, how it is measured, and what warranties promise.10 min
- 5High-voltage safety systemsInterlocks, isolation monitoring, pyro fuses and crash shutdown.10 min
- 6Diagnostics, logging and fault codesReading what the pack has been through.9 min
Module 4
Thermal and safety
Cooling, preconditioning and thermal runaway.
6 lessons
- 1Why temperature rules everythingThe narrow window where a lithium cell is happy.9 min
- 2Air, liquid and refrigerant coolingThree approaches, and why liquid won.10 min
- 3Preconditioning and heat pumpsWarming the pack before a rapid charge, and reusing waste heat.9 min
- 4Thermal runaway and propagationWhat actually happens, and how packs are designed to contain it.11 min
- 5Heat generation during fast chargingI²R losses, entropic heat and why the curve tapers.10 min
- 6Climate, parking and long-term storageProtecting a pack when the car is not being used.8 min
Module 5
Life cycle
Degradation, warranties, second life and recycling.
6 lessons
- 1How batteries ageCalendar ageing, cycle ageing and the mechanisms behind both.11 min
- 2Charging habits that extend pack lifeEvidence-based advice, and the myths worth ignoring.9 min
- 3Warranties, certification and health testingWhat manufacturers guarantee and how independent tests measure it.9 min
- 4Second-life batteriesWhat happens when a pack is no longer good enough for a car.9 min
- 5Recycling and material recoveryPyrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy and direct recycling.10 min
- 6Battery economics and total costCost per kWh, replacement risk and residual values.10 min