ABSTRACT
Since Karl Benz designed and built the first motorized tricycle powered by an internal-combustion engine in 1885, the time of automobiles has begun. From then on, human life was modernized by gasoline-powered vehicles, and cars were labelled as “the machine that changed the world”. Li-ion batteries (LIBs), the key device to power electric vehicles, have attracted attention, enthusiasm and intensive development activity throughout recent years because of their high output voltage, high specific energy, long cycle life and absence of memory effect. The application of LIBs in electric vehicles is at an early stage of development compared to the internal combustion engine in conventional vehicles. Although significant breakthroughs have been made in technologies of LIBs in the past decades, LIBs that can provide higher energy density, lower cost, faster charging ability as well as safer and better performance at low temperature are in constant demand from consumers.
