Characterization of new and used Lithium-Ion electric motorcycle batteries degradation through cycle testing and surface temperature evaluation for second-life applications

The growth of electric vehicles (EVs) has driven an increase in the number of used lithium-ion batteries (LiBs). The used LiBs still have the potential to be reused in second-life battery (SLB) applications. Characterization of the used LiB performance is necessary to ensure its suitability for second-life battery (SLB) applications. This study aims to obtain the optimum C-rate for used online motorcycle taxi batteries. The analysis of the impact of C-rate on battery capacity and surface temperature was conducted over 50 cycles at C-rates of 1C, 0.5C, and 0.3C. The study results show that a high C-rate has a significant impact on the capacity and efficiency of used batteries in the charging-discharging process. The obtained data suggest that used batteries are more stable at a lower C-rate (0.3C). A high C-rate also affects the temperature increase of used batteries during charging and discharging. At a C-rate of 1C, the temperature increase can reach approximately 6 – 10 ℃, whereas at a low C-rate of 0.3C, the temperature increase is only around 2 – 3.5 ℃. To reduce safety risks in the second-life application of used batteries, it is recommended to operate at low C-rates.