Technical 19 www.aftermarketonline.net MARCH 2026 EV battery tech is a question of balance Patrick Schabus, chief product officer at battery diagnostics group AVILOO, says workshops offering balancing for traction batteries provide a critical service for modern electric vehicles. Balancing maximises usable capacity, protects against premature aging and therefore reduces the risk of serious cell defects. Modern EVs rely on high-performance traction batteries consisting of hundreds to thousands of individual cells connected in series and in parallel to provide the voltage and capacity required for vehicle propulsion. While a single cell delivers only around 3.0-4.25V, EVs require system voltages of 300V or more. To achieve this voltage, numerous cells are connected in series. To deliver the desired driving range, additional cells are connected in parallel to increase the overall capacity. Schabus said: “Of these cell groups, 108 are connected in series — resulting in a total of 324 cells in a single traction battery. In parallel-connected cells, the state of charge (SoC) equalises automatically, but this is not the case with cells connected in series. This is where a critical technology comes into play: balancing.” As technicians will know, balancing refers to equalising the SoCs of the individual cell levels within a battery pack. Without balancing, SoC differences cannot compensate for themselves. An imbalanced battery system not only reduces driving range, but can also result in an incorrect SoC indication and, consequently, a significant overestimation of range. Even more critical is the fact that imbalance can accelerate battery aging, potentially leading to secondary damage and, in extreme cases, cell defects with an increased risk of fire. In electromobility, top balancing is the standard approach. At the end of the charging process, the SoC of the cells are equalised to ensure accurate range calculation and maximum usable energy extraction. Without this process, the performance of modern EVs would continuously decline. Balancing is closely linked to the diagnosis of cell condition. The battery management system (BMS) records key parameters such as capacity loss, internal resistance, and charging behaviour. AVILOO uses this data in combination with the firm’s FLASH test to precisely determine both the balancing status and the state of health of a battery. Without balancing, a modern battery pack would be virtually unusable. It is the invisible technology that ensures EVs operate reliably, efficiently, and safely. For EVs, it is advisable to have a FLASH performed at 100% SoC to identify and counteract potential risk factors at an early stage. For peace of mind always use a Garage Equipment Association member. GEA accredited engineers work to an industry code of conduct. Your assurance their skills and knowledge have been independently assessed. IS YOUR EQUIPMENT ENGINEER GEA ACCREDITED? Ask your engineer for his accreditation card ! The Upholders of Industry standards since 1945 The Garage Equipment Association www.gea.co.uk GEA ACCREDITED ENGINEER Name Company Discipline Exp Date ID Number XX123456 XX123456 XX123456 XX123456 XX123456 Patrick Schabus
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