Ahead of International EV Batteries 2016, we spoke to David Howey, Associate Professor at Oxford University. David explains his role and involvement in electric vehicles and EV batteries, the number one challenge holding back electric vehicles in today’s market and where he sees EVs in the next five to 10 years.
David Howey: Associate Professor in Engineering Science, University of Oxford
David Howey PhD MA MEng MIEEE is an Associate Professor in the Department of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford with interests in modelling, measuring and managing electrochemical energy storage systems. His team has recently pioneered battery management research including new approaches to degradation diagnostics, non-invasive temperature estimation, decentralised BMS, and electrochemical model based state estimation. He has co-authored over 50 peer-reviewed journal and conference papers, has three patents filed and is the recipient of grant funding from industry, the UK government (via EPSRC and InnovateUK), the EC, and the Korean government (via KETEP).
Q: Could you briefly explain your role and involvement in electric vehicles and EV batteries?
David Howey: I am an Associate Professor at Oxford University. My group does engineering research on modelling and management of batteries. We focus mostly on lithium-ion batteries and we are interested in many applications, from EVs to grid storage systems. We aim to try and bridge the gap between the electrochemistry and the engineering, or to put it differently, the lab and the application.
Q: What are you most looking forward to by attending and presenting at International EV Batteries 2016?
DH: I’m looking forward to both catching up with friends and colleagues I know well, and hearing from some new speakers. I’m particularly excited about the global aspect, with speakers coming from outside the UK.
Q: What is the number one challenge holding back electric vehicles in today's current market?
DH: I think there is huge scope to improve our understanding of battery degradation. Energy storage today is probably over-engineered because of lack of understanding of end of life behaviour. However, from a consumer perspective the number one challenge likely remains capital cost, like I said six years ago when I wrote the report “Road transport technology and climate change mitigation” (Grantham Institute, Imperial College London).
Consumers tend to focus only or mainly on capital cost when purchasing a vehicle; they are myopic about other costs. But of course electric vehicles are becoming cheaper and cheaper, and there are other markets than just passenger cars. I’m really excited about the next five years!
Q: Where do you see the future of electric vehicles going over the next five to 10 years?
DH: Hopefully we will see more and more people buying EVs and they will just become “normal”. However this will lead to lots of technical challenges to solve on the power grid, which is great – keeps us researchers busy!
Find out more
David Howey will be speaking at International EV Batteries 2016 on 6-7 December in London. The event will address the critical challenges being faced by electric vehicle OEMs globally. Attendees will take away the latest innovations in battery management, modular design, range extension, battery testing and pack integration.
Key programme highlights:
- General Motors will discuss the successes of the Chevrolet Bolt EV’s 60KwH battery system and lessons from the Volt and Spark
- Understand the opportunities and challenges Jaguar Land Rover see for modular battery designs
- Williams Advanced Engineering determine how F1 and Formula E battery development and evolution will impact electric vehicles
- McLaren Automotive and University of Oxford deliver the latest on charge and current control, and reductions in weight and size of the Battery Management System (BMS)
- Learn how the European Commission are assessing battery testing methods from a policy-making perspective
- Mitsubishi, NAATBatt and the University of Warwick WMG bring success stories for bidirectional charging, battery recycling and second-life options
For further information visit the International EV Batteries 2016 event page.