New single-chip battery fuel gauges have been launched by Texas Instruments (TI), featuring the innovative adaptive Dynamic Z-Track technology for enhanced efficiency and reliability in battery-powered devices.
Unlike conventional gauging methods, the predictive modeling algorithm found in TI BQ41Z90 and BQ41Z50 battery fuel gauges provide state-of-charge and state-of-health accuracy that leads to an error margin of just 1%.
This advancement contributes to a battery run time extension of as much as 30%.
With users requiring greater power from electronic devices like laptops, e-bikes, and portable medical equipment, the need for exacting precision in real-time monitoring is paramount for battery management systems (BMSs).
Engineers can design electronic devices with accurate battery capacity readings, even under unpredictable loads, using the BQ41Z90 and BQ41Z50 fuel gauges that feature Dynamic Z-Track technology.
Engineers can choose a battery size confidently with this enhanced precision, removing the necessity for oversized batteries.
The increasing complexity of battery-powered devices makes smart use of board space increasingly more crucial. For 3-to-16 lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery cells connected in series, the BQ41Z90 is the first highly integrated fuel gauge, monitor, and protector in the industry.
Compared to conventional discrete solutions, engineers can save up to 25% of board area and simplify their designs with this single-chip solution. Two to four cells can be connected in series with the BQ41Z50. 
Leadership Comments
“Whether you’re finishing a project on your laptop or riding home on an e-bike, accurate battery capacity estimates and reliability are critical,” said Yevgen Barsukov, TI Fellow and head of BMS algorithm development. “Traditional battery monitoring methods often struggle with accuracy under erratic use conditions, leading to unreliable predictions. However, our new Dynamic Z-Track technology is a predictive battery model that can self-update across dynamic load conditions, like those created by AI applications, ensuring the most accurate run-time prediction. Evolving from 20 years of reactive monitoring, this innovation enables users to experience dependable function, safer operation, and precise tracking of battery age and run time.”
Availability
Pre-production quantities of the BQ41Z90 and production quantities of the BQ41Z50 are available now on TI.com. Evaluation modules, reference designs, and simulation models are also available.
