T-TRIG 2019

Development of a thermal management system for e-bike battery charge/discharge optimisation

We proposed to develop a novel thermal management system within M-BRIC by monitoring temperature at individual cell-level to prolong overall battery pack life and maximise individual cell utilisation before disposal.  

The project sought to promote the use of e-bikes to expand cyclist journey length by reducing the initial and on-going cost of e-bike battery packs, which is the most expensive component of an e-bike.

At the time, cost was a significant barrier to e-bike ownership. The proposed cost reduction for the project was accomplished by using End of Life (EoL) cylindrical standard E-bike batteries called 18650 that typically have > 70% usable capacity remaining in a reusable casing allowing for easy replacement of dysfunctional cells.