Technology: Longer battery life with Hutchinson’s insulating system 

Paris - Hutchinson SA is launching its new dynamic insulating system (DIS) to address consumers’ concerns about electric vehicle (EV) battery life, a factor that is holding customers back from making the switch to electromobility. 

Similar to other lithium batteries, the battery pack in an electric vehicle (EV) will lose its ability to hold a charge over time. 

This deterioration accelerates rapidly when the battery is not being charged and exposed to extreme temperatures, whether too hot or too cold, said Hutchinson in a statement 10 Feb.  

Developed in response to this problem, Hutchinson said, the system protects batteries by keeping them at an ideal temperature between 15-35°C or 59-95°F when parked for more than 12 hours in temperatures as low as -20 °C (-4°F) and as high as 40°C (113°F).

The solution is a combination of insulating materials and formulated phase change materials surrounding the battery pack. 

It uses VIP vacuum insulating panel technology which combines elastomer compounds containing several phase change materials with different melting temperatures, according to the company release.

Hutchinson said it measured battery performance at various temperatures to determine the effectiveness of the DIS. 

The data was put into simulation software to measure battery capacity in various climates over 1, 5, and 10-year increments. 

“Our results showed that the DIS significantly improved battery performance," said Hutchinson. "After 10 years, batteries protected by the DIS maintained 70% capacity while those without had a capacity of less than 60%.”