Abstract: A battery characterization system includes a drive-sense circuit (DSC), memory that stores operational instructions, and processing module(s) operably coupled to the DSC and the memory. Based on a reference signal, the DSC generates a charge signal, which includes an AC (alternating current) component, and provides the charge signal to a terminal of a battery via a single line and simultaneously to senses the charge signal via the single line to detect an electrical characteristic of the battery based on a response of the battery. The DSC generates a digital signal representative of the electrical characteristic of the battery. The processing module(s), based on the operational instructions, generate the reference signal to include a frequency sweep of the AC component of the charge signal (e.g.