NIT Rourkela Patents Hybrid Energy Storage System To Boost EV Battery Life
The researchers are open to collaboration with EV original equipment manufacturers, powertrain system integrators, fleet operators and EV retrofit start-ups
Rourkela (Odisha): Researchers at the National Institute of Technology Rourkela (NIT Rourkela) have developed a hybrid energy storage system aimed at improving the efficiency and lifespan of batteries used in electric vehicles (EVs).
The technology has been developed by Prof. Monalisa Pattnaik, Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering, along with Dr Pradyumna Kumar Behera and Mr Karan Gupta. The research team has secured a patent for the technology (Application No. 202631003328), filed on January 12, 2026.
The researchers are open to collaboration with EV original equipment manufacturers, powertrain system integrators, fleet operators and EV retrofit start-ups.
EV batteries can experience considerable stress from sudden changes in power demand, particularly during rapid acceleration, braking and frequent start-stop operations. Such high-rate current fluctuations can increase thermal stress, reduce battery efficiency and shorten battery life.
The NIT Rourkela system combines a conventional battery pack with a high-power-density supercapacitor. While the battery stores energy for sustained operation, the supercapacitor can rapidly absorb or supply power during sudden acceleration, deceleration and regenerative braking, thereby reducing stress on the battery.
Battery-supercapacitor systems are generally configured in passive, semi-active or active arrangements. Passive systems offer limited control, while active systems require multiple power converters and control components, increasing complexity and reducing efficiency.
The NIT Rourkela team has sought to overcome these limitations through an architecture requiring fewer components. The system uses a single converter to connect both the battery and supercapacitor to the vehicle’s electrical system, an inductor in the electrical path and a single control system to regulate power flow.
“Our architecture contains three main components—one converter to connect both battery and supercapacitor to the vehicle’s electrical system, an inductor that is placed in the electrical path, and a single control system to handle the power flow,” Prof Pattnaik said.
According to the researchers, the inductor helps protect the battery from sudden current surges, while the single converter and control system reduce hardware requirements and system complexity.
Tests under sudden braking, rapid acceleration and deceleration showed stable 48-volt operation, smoother battery-current changes and efficient handling of sudden power fluctuations by the supercapacitor.
The system has been optimised for low-voltage EV platforms operating in the 24V-60V DC range, including electric scooters, motorcycles, e-rickshaws, cargo tricycles and campus or industrial utility vehicles.
The technology could also find applications in automated guided vehicles, warehouse carts, DC microgrids and renewable-energy charging stations.