The Role of Energy Storage Technology in EVs: Classification, Evaluation, Optimization, Current Trends and Future Perspective

Energy storage technologies (EST) are becoming the primary facilitator of electric vehicle (EV) performance, efficiency, and sustainability as transportation electrification advances. Under the aegis of five interrelated research dimensions, the paper thoroughly examines the role, development, and enhancement of energy storage systems (ESS) in the EV ecosystem. With special attention to the evolution of traditional hybrid and plug-in hybrid into the noticeably more advanced battery-electric and fuel-cell platforms, the development, classification, and comparison of EV technologies are evaluated at the outset. Evaluation indicates that fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) and hybrid architectures are pushing the operational envelope for applications that need more load and range. With the recent development of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and the current lithium-ion technology standard, short- and medium-range electric vehicles now have a commercially viable route. The popularity of the ESS as an essential component of EVs is further investigated, as is its role in energy management, regenerative braking, and power delivery systems. Certain energy, power density, charge rate, and life-cycle efficiency have been described for storage technologies in electrochemical, hybrid, chemical, electrical, and mechanical configurations. The third section evaluates ESTs using performance metrics like energy density, power density, round trip efficiency, thermal stability, and cost per kilowatt-hour while addressing technology trade-offs.