How the Battery in an Electric Car Works

The positive cathode consists of an ultrapure lithium metal oxide compound. The negative pole, the anode, contains graphite, a modification of carbon. The battery is filled with an anhydrous electrolyte that serves as a transport medium for the ions so that the lithium ions can migrate. The separator prevents a short circuit between the positive and negative poles. During charging, the positively charged lithium ions migrate through the separator into the anode, where they are deposited in the layered graphite structure. When the battery is discharging, i.e., when energy is being consumed, the lithium ions migrate back into the cathode. The electric motor in the car converts the electricity into mechanical energy, propelling the car forward.