Arizona's extreme heat could be a problem for lithium

Electric vehicles are gaining popularity here and across the country. But, as we watch the extreme heat in Arizona continue to break records — what does it do to the lithium-ion batteries that make them go?

Michael Pecht is a mechanical engineering professor at the University of Maryland and he joined The Show to talk about his studies on the effect of heat on EV batteries and how it can be a problem.

EDITOR’S NOTE: A listener asked about the difference in battery capacity and charging in liquid cooled vs. air cooled systems. Pecht articulated that all cars use a liquid cooled thermal management system to keep lithium ion batteries cool during operation. But when the vehicle is off, there is no thermal management and the batteries are exposed to the heat. It is during those times that batteries of all kinds struggle to maintain capacity.