Chemical batteries are by far the most widely used battery type in the electric vehicle sector. Nickel-metal hydride batteries, lithium-ion batteries, lithium polymer batteries, and fuel cells all fall under this category. From a structural perspective, they can be further divided into two subcategories: rechargeable batteries and fuel cells. The vast majority of electric vehicles we see today are powered by rechargeable battery technology, such as the Toyota Prius and the Tesla Model S.
Common chemical batteries for electric vehicles: Lithium batteries are one of the most commonly used battery types in EVs today. Although they have a relatively short history since their inception in 1970, they have rapidly captured the lion's share of the EV battery market thanks to their high energy density and long cycle life. Currently, the lithium batteries equipped in commercially available electric vehicles are mainly of two types - lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries and ternary lithium (NCM/NCA) batteries. Given the significant differences in their respective characteristics, a detailed comparison between the two is warranted.
Physical batteries, as the name suggests, refer to batteries that store and deliver electrical energy through physical changes. Supercapacitors and flywheel batteries are among the members of the physical battery family.
Supercapacitors feature high power density but low energy capacity. A supercapacitor is a power component that sits between a traditional capacitor and a battery. It stores energy primarily through the electric double layer and redox pseudocapacitance, without any chemical reactions taking place in the process - which is why it is classified as a physical battery.