Impact of thermal management and ambient temperature on aging of LFP, NMC, and NCA batteries for EVs

¹ Ștefan cel Mare University of Suceava, 13 Universității Street, 720229 Suceava, Romania
² National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, University Centre of Pitești, 110040, Romania

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published online: 11 June 2026

Abstract

This paper presents a comparative electro-thermal and aging-aware analysis of lithium-ion batteries with LFP, NMC and NCA chemistries for electric vehicle applications. A unified vehicle–battery modelling framework is developed based on a longitudinal vehicle dynamics model, an equivalent circuit battery model with temperature-dependent parameters, and a lumped thermal model including heat generation and dissipation mechanisms. Battery aging is described through a temperature-dependent degradation formulation linked to electrochemical activation processes. A PI-based supervisory TMS controller is implemented to regulate battery temperature while minimizing auxiliary energy demand. Equal nominal pack energy is enforced across all chemistries. Simulations are performed under four ambient temperatures (–10 °C, 0 °C, 25 °C, and 40 °C) and representative driving cycles. The results demonstrate significant differences among the considered chemistries in terms of peak temperature, energy losses, and estimated capacity fade, and reveal the strong influence of ambient temperature and thermal management on degradation rate. A sensitivity analysis further identifies internal resistance and heat transfer capability as dominant factors affecting thermal and aging behavior. The proposed framework enables a quantitative and physics-consistent comparison of lithium-ion battery chemistries and supports the design of thermal management strategies for electric vehicles.