Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are an important component of the automotive industry in terms of electrification. Regarding their safety, the researchers perform different scenarios in which they follow closely and carefully their behavior under the action of induced requests. The most common mechanical abuse tests are three-point bending, simple bending, deformation with hemispherical punch head and nail penetration. In this article, the behavior of the 21700 lithium-ion cell is debated and the results are compared. First, experimental tests are performed and the results are validated with FEM model, to check the veracity of the experiment. Also, the interpreted results can be used in future researches regarding safety of batteries.

Conventional fuels for vehicles, which are non-renewable energy sources, are still currently in use. To reduce noise and CO2 emissions, electric vehicles dictate a remarkable research and developments in order to reach a viable solution. Electrified vehicles have a dedicated energy store, usually batteries, to improve emissions or replace the conventional energy source with electric power. For almost a decade now, the use of Li-ion batteries as a source of energy for electric vehicles has exploded, but there are also many questions about their safety. This study is dedicated to compare the results obtained by experiment with the result obtained by simulation about mechanical behavior of an 18650 Li-ion cell under pinch indentation.