Mitigating EV battery degradation risks driven by high ambient temperatures in tropical climates: A theoretical review and data-driven analysis of public charging stations

Electric vehicles (EVs) adoption in tropical regions faces significant challenges due to accelerated battery degradation caused by extreme temperatures. This study integrates a theoretical review of battery aging mechanisms with an empirical analysis of over 1 million charging transactions in Indonesia. Using a Charging Aggressiveness Index (CAI) the study identifies dual degradation triggers: high ambient temperatures and massive DC Fast Charging (DCFC) usage, with 67.7% of sessions classified as aggressive (CAI > 0.5). High-power units (100–200 kW) dominate energy transfer, with 180 kW chargers recording the highest average energy delivery of 32.95 kWh per session and most favourite charger during solar hours (10 AM-4 PM) is 50 kW, 60 kW and 200 kW chargers. These findings indicate a critical trade-off between instantaneous charging convenience and battery longevity. EV battery optimization heavily depends on user awareness to restrict operations within a 20%–80% SoC range and prioritize nighttime or sheltered charging to effectively mitigate thermal stress and better to use AC charging or install AC home charging to support Indonesian EV government policy.