A battery system for EV use has been developed with the aim of realizing compactness and high durability.The system employs Toshiba SCiB lithium-ion batteries, which display good durability and power regeneration characteristics, as the power source. Sufficient numbers of batteries to provide the energy necessary for the driving range demanded for the vehicle have been connected in a densely packed configuration and fitted in a battery box case employing a seal structure providing good environmental resistance. Together with battery fans for cooling and high-voltage safety devices, this comprises a battery system designed to be installed compactly under the floor of the vehicle without sacrificing the interior comfort of the FIT EV. In addition to demonstrating that the batteries themselves displayed good durability, verification of the durability of the battery system indicated that the cooling system helped to ensure the maintenance of a high level of performance over the entire period of vehicle use.
Article of Honda R&D Technical Review Vol.25 No.1 (30 - 35)