ARE GENESIS EV BATTERIES SAFE?
SEOUL, Sept. 11, 2024 — Making the switch to an electric vehicle (EV) can be bewildering. That’s why Hyundai Motor Group (the Group) goes the extra mile to eliminate any uncertainties, especially in regard to battery safety.
With over 15 years of dedicated research, Hyundai Motor Group (the Group) has made significant advancements in battery management systems, known as BMS. Widely referred to as the vehicle’s “brain,” BMS effectively provides the necessary control information to ensure optimal utilization of batteries, giving EV owners peace of mind.
What is BMS?
A key role of the Group’s BMS is precise battery system monitoring. By swiftly detecting any abnormalities in the battery’s performance, it assesses the level of risk and performs necessary safety controls within the vehicle. When necessary, it also alerts the car owner of those anomalies, thus preventing any major issues from arising.
EV battery fires can occur for various reasons, but the majority are due to cell defects or cell shorts caused by impacts. To watch out for any irregularities in this regard, the Group’s BMS constantly monitors the battery during driving and charging, and even periodically during parking.
Among the variety of factors monitored by the BMS are voltage deviation, insulation resistance, current and voltage fluctuations, as well as temperature and overvoltage. In the Group’s latest released vehicles, the systems are equipped with additional capabilities to detect instantaneous and micro-short circuits, enabling them to identify potential faults that might have occurred several days or weeks prior.
Recognizing the effectiveness of these short circuit detection technologies in spotting potential battery fires, the Group plans to implement them in all newly sold vehicles. For previously sold EVs, the Group intends to develop relevant update tools by the end of the year for gradual application.
How Does BMS Work?
When the BMS detects signs of abnormalities, it promptly initiates necessary safety controls and, depending on the severity of the risk, immediately notifies the car owner. This involves communicating the detected signs to a remote support center, which then triggers an automatic text message to be sent to the owner, advising them to bring the vehicle in for inspection.
Going forward, the Group is looking to further improve the BMS so that it automatically alerts local authorities of severe risks. Other efforts include developing an “onboard-cloud integrated safety management system,” which combines advanced diagnostic technology and cloud server-based remote precision diagnostics, utilizing physical and machine learning models.
3-Step Overcharging Prevention System
Throughout the history of the Group’s EV vehicles, there hasn’t been a single case of an EV fire caused by overcharging. This can be attributed to the effective monitoring capabilities of the BMS and its seamless coordination with the charging controller.
The Group’s overcharging prevention technology incorporates a reliable three-step system that guarantees safety:
Step 1. The BMS and charging controller constantly manage the charging process of high-voltage batteries, ensuring safe charging within the optimal current range.
Step 2. The BMS monitors the battery’s charging status in real-time. If it discovers any deviations from the normal range, it quickly triggers the charging process to halt.
Step 3. In the unlikely event that both the vehicle control unit and battery control unit malfunction, a physical safety circuit is triggered, forcibly disconnecting the current pathway.
Cell Balancing Technology
Another key aspect of the Group’s BMS is its cell balancing technology, which comprehensively manages the battery cells to maintain optimal durability and performance.
The BMS detects any cases of voltage variation among cells and performs cell balancing control to minimize the voltage difference. It also constantly monitors battery temperature and overall condition to calculate and control the maximum power output that the battery can provide.
Disclaimer: Features may vary depending on region. Please contact your local Genesis retailer for more information.