Temperature management for battery packs installed in electric vehicles is crucial to ensure that the battery works properly. For lithium-ion battery cells, the optimal operating temperature is in the range of 25 to 40 °C with a maximum temperature difference among battery cells of 5 °C. This work aimed to optimize lithium-ion battery packing design for electric vehicles to meet the optimal operating temperature using an air-cooling system by modifying the number of cooling fans and the inlet air temperature. A numerical model of 74 V and 2.31 kWh battery packing was simulated using the lattice Boltzmann method. The results showed that the temperature difference between the battery cells decreased with the increasing number of cooling fans; likewise, the mean temperature inside the battery pack decreased with the decreasing inlet air temperature. The optimization showed that the configuration of three cooling fans with 25 °C inlet air temperature gave the best performance with low power required. Even though the maximum temperature difference was still 15 °C, the configuration kept all battery cells inside the optimum temperature range. This finding is helpful to develop a standardized battery packing module and for engineers in designing low-cost battery packing for electric vehicles.

In the last decades of electric vehicle (EV) development, battery thermal management has become one of the remaining issues that must be appropriately handled to ensure robust EV design. Starting from researching safer and more durable battery cells that can resist thermal exposure, battery packing design has also become important to avoid thermal events causing an explosion or at least to prevent fatal loss if the explosion occurs. An optimal battery packing design can maintain the battery cell temperature at the most favorable range, i.e., 25–40 °C, with a temperature difference in each battery cell of 5 °C at the maximum, which is considered the best working temperature. The design must also consider environmental temperature and humidity effects. Many design strategies have been reported, including novel battery pack constructions, a better selection of coolant materials, and a robust battery management system. However, those endeavors are faced with the main challenges in terms of design constraints that must be fulfilled, such as material and manufacturing costs, limited available battery space and weight, and low energy consumption requirements. This work reviewed and analyzed the recent progress and current state-of-the-art in designing battery packs for superior thermal management. The narration focused on significant findings that have solved the battery thermal management design problem as well as the remaining issues and opportunities to obtain more reliable and enduring batteries for EVs. Furthermore, some recommendations for future research topics supporting the advancement of battery thermal management design were also discussed.