The BQ79826Z-Q1 battery monitor enhances safety and extends battery life by detecting potential faults within the cells. This unique chip offers best-in-class cell monitoring capabilities, tracking up to 44% more channels than previous generations. With this increased channel count, the device significantly reduces the number of components required in a battery pack, decreasing system complexity and cost without compromising reliability. TI will showcase this innovation at the Power Conversion, Intelligent Motion Expo and Conference (PCIM) 2026, taking place June 9-11 in Nuremberg, Germany.
“The electrification of transportation and the rapid expansion of energy storage are redefining what battery performance must deliver, and as a leader in battery management technology, TI is uniquely positioned to meet this challenge,” said Wenjia Liu, vice president and general manager of battery management systems (BMS) at TI. “Our high-cell-count battery monitor with an integrated EIS engine helps illuminate the interior of battery cells, providing detailed chemical state data that enables system software to make informed, real-time decisions about battery pack safety and performance, allowing engineers to address the most critical challenges in battery management.”.
Safety and performance with EIS technology.
Just as an electrocardiogram (ECG) monitors the heart, EIS monitors a battery. It provides continuous, real-time information that reveals the battery's health and warns of problems before they become critical. The integrated EIS technology allows the BQ78926Z-Q1 to detect fault conditions earlier—from inside the cells—helping to maintain safety and alerting passengers to potential vehicle hazards, such as overheating.
These same advantages extend to energy storage systems (ESS), where reliable battery monitoring is critical to meeting the growing energy demands of AI data centers. As efficient storage solutions become increasingly vital in the grid-to-gate ecosystem, EIS provides engineers with real-time visibility into the state of charge and health of each battery cell, regardless of system size.
The BQ79826Z-Q1 supports up to 26 cells per device, eight more than any competing solution, setting a new industry standard. Fewer monitoring devices translate to a shorter bill of materials, a simplified architecture, and reduced board space requirements, resulting in significant cost savings per channel without sacrificing quality or reliability.
When combined with the TI BQ79881-Q1 package monitor and optional communications bridge, these devices create a powerful chipset that works with different module sizes, battery chemistries, and mechanical designs, giving engineers the flexibility to design once and deploy anywhere. This scalability reduces engineering costs and accelerates time to market for automotive and energy storage system designers.
With a voltage accuracy of <2 mV across a full temperature range of –40 °C to +125 °C, higher resolution analog-to-digital converters, and ultra-low noise, the BQ78926Z-Q1 enables more accurate state-of-charge calculations, addressing one of the biggest concerns for EV drivers: range anxiety. Offering an EIS measurement time five times faster than previous solutions, this device delivers the highest functional safety voltage reading per cell. Compliance with Automotive Safety Integrity Level D and ISO 26262 provides designers with a smarter, more efficient path to safer, longer-lasting batteries.
The new BQ79826Z-Q1 battery monitor is being showcased at the PCIM trade show in a reference BMS design with EIS, along with other innovations such as an 11 kW single-stage bidirectional integrated charger, a 50 kVA solid-state transformer cell stack with Ethernet communication and fast serial interface, and short-circuit protection for silicon carbide power metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors with Flex technology.
Availability:
Pre-production quantities of the BQ79826Z-Q1 battery monitor with integrated EIS motor are now available from TI.com, and production quantities are expected to be available by the end of 2026.
To assist designers, full development support is offered, including evaluation modules and reference designs.
