Optimal Endurance and Range of Electric Aircraft with Battery Degradation

Electric aircraft is a promising candidate to provide on-demand air mobility in future transportation.1,2) Although the performance of battery-powered electric aircraft is highly dependent on battery performance, little has been known regarding their relationship, especially in the long term.3) Traub investigated the optimal range and endurance of electric aircraft utilizing lead-acid batteries,4) while Kaptsov analyzed the same with Li-ion batteries (LIBs).5,6) The scope of these papers was limited to the beginning of life (BOL) performance of batteries. However, LIBs exhibit intriguing degradation patterns over their life when used in IT devices or electric vehicles; first, the formation of stable solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) layers in LIBs can slow down degradation,7) unlike other kinds of batteries (e.g., fuel cell).8) Towards the end of life (EOL), on the other hand, unfavorable usage conditions may cause lithium decomposition in the LIB anode and exponentially accelerate capacity degradation.9) This paper considers several LIB degradation scenarios and compares their influence on the long-term performance of battery-powered electric aircraft. The designer, the manufacturer, and the operator of electric aircraft would thereby know which battery gives the most number of cycles under various mission scenarios. © 2020 The Japan Society for Aeronautical and Space Sciences