New cold-resistant EV battery from US maintains power even at -40°F

Researchers at Texas A&M University, led by Dr. Jodie Lutkenhaus, have developed a new polymer-based electric vehicle (EV) battery designed to maintain power even in extreme cold temperatures as low as -40°F (-40°C). This innovation addresses a critical limitation of current lithium-ion batteries, which rely on liquid electrolytes that freeze and stop functioning in severe cold, as seen during the 2024 polar vortex in Chicago when many EVs failed. The new battery replaces the traditional liquid electrolyte with a diglyme-based electrolyte that remains liquid at low temperatures and substitutes rigid inorganic electrodes with flexible redox-active polymers, allowing ion movement and battery operation in freezing conditions. In addition to improved cold-weather performance—retaining 85% capacity at 0°C and 55% at -40°C—the researchers enhanced durability by integrating carbon-fiber weaves as structural components, reducing weight and preventing mechanical cracking. This "structural battery" design not only stores energy but also provides physical strength to