For AUTO Connected Cars News’ Tech CARS awards there are several new battery technologies that will help enable faster charging, more charging, wireless charging and more. There are several new battery technologies on the forefront of connected and electric cars. They come from Bosch, BMW, Fisker Inc., Lucid Air and Solid Power (in alphabetical order). After reading the descriptions you are welcome to continue voting for the Tech CARS Awards.
BMW Wireless Charging for the high-voltage battery will be made available as an option for the BMW 530e iPerformance from 2018
When the BMW 530e iPerformance was announced details were given about how the BMW iBattery wireless charging will work as well as features that pre-air-condition and heat the car so that drivers can be comfortable when they depart.
BMW Wireless Charging for the high-voltage battery will be made available as an option for the BMW 530e iPerformance from 2018. This technology allows energy transfer to take place without the use of cables. Presented by BMW in prototype form, the system consists of a base pad with integrated primary coil – which can be installed in a garage, for example, but also in the open – and a secondary coil integrated in the underside of the vehicle. An alternating magnetic field is generated between the two coils, through which electricity is transmitted without cables or contacts at a charge rate of up to 3.2 kW. This form of power supply to the high-voltage battery is extremely convenient for customers and involves a charging time of around three-and-a-half hours.The high-voltage battery pack consisting of lithium-ion cells with a total capacity of 9.2 kWh has been placed in a space-saving location underneath the rear seat and includes efficient refrigerant cooling with a highly integrated low-temperature circuit. Thanks to the battery’s neat installation, the BMW 530e iPerformance offers 410 litres of boot capacity and a flat load compartment floor. The high-voltage battery of the BMW 530e iPerformance can be fully charged in under five hours from a standard domestic power socket and in under three hours if it is hooked up to a BMW i Wallbox (3.7 kW charging capacity).
Bosch’s New 48-volt Battery for Hybrids
Bosch’s new 48-volt battery for hybrids is in demand by automakers across the globe. Similar to the Bosch e-axle, this innovative 48-volt battery is standardized for easy integration into new vehicle models. Established manufacturers and start-ups alike can thus eliminate long and expensive development processes
The secret of the battery’s success is its sophisticated concept, which offers a comparatively inexpensive way to help reduce vehicle CO2 emissions. This is also due to the product design, as the battery requires no active cooling and its housing is made of plastic, not metal. Both these factors bring costs down still further. The plastic housing presents a real challenge, as lithium-ion cells expand when the battery is charging and over the course of the unit’s service life. As a result, the housing must withstand a certain amount of stress. Bosch engineers rearranged the cells in the 48-volt battery so that even plastic housing can bear the pressure.
A 48V hybrid can considerably cut its fuel consumption through the use of a boost recuperation system (BRS). Here’s how it works: a conventional car loses energy whenever the driver brakes. The BRS stores this braking energy in a 48V battery and applies it later when the driver accelerates (electronic boost). This requires less fuel – and produces less CO2 in the exhaust.
Fisker Patents Solid-State 2.5x Density, 500 mi per charge and charging in 1 minute battery tech.
Fisker Inc., filed patents on flexible solid-state battery technology with record-breaking specs. The new batteries deliver 2.5 times the energy density of typical lithium-ion batteries – with the potential of costing one third of the 2020 projected price of those batteries due to advances in materials and manufacturing. The battery will deliver a vehicle range of more than 500 miles on a single charge, and charging times as low as one minute Solid state technology has 25x more surface area.
The design team includes the co-founder of solid-state battery technology pioneer, Sakti3 – a first inventor of the seminal patents. The patent includes claims over novel materials and manufacturing processes that are critical in achieving the required energy density, power and cost targets that are paramount for the widespread use of electric vehicles.
Early results show that Fisker’s solid-state technology enables the construction of bulk three-dimensional solid-state electrodes with 25 times more surface area than flat thin-film solid-state electrodes and extremely high electronic and ionic conductivities – enabling fast charging and cold temperature operation. As a result, Fisker’s battery delivers 2.5 times the energy density of typical lithium-ion batteries – with the potential of costing one third of the 2020 projected price of those batteries due to advances in materials and manufacturing.
Lucid Air Cylindrical Batteries
Lucid Air cylindrical batteries with longer life and more charges developed by Lucid Motors. Electric cars have been made for over a century, battery technology limited developed.
Lucid Air designers claim that ten years of battery pack development have led to best-in-class energy density. The Lucid Air battery is capable of 0 to 60 mph in less than 2.5 seconds and 400 miles of range. Additionally, a unique battery chemistry provides breakthrough tolerance to repeated fast-charging.
The batteries are cylindrical and explained by Peter Rawlson in the video below.
Solid Power Solid-State Batteries
Solid Power batteries provide substantially higher energy than conventional lithium ion (2-3X greater) while also enabling lower cost systems due to the potential for eliminating many of the costly safety features typically associated with lithium-ion systems.
BMW Group is partnering with Solid Power in a joint effort to develop Solid Power’s solid-state batteries for electric vehicle applications. In this effort, the BMW Group will assist Solid Power to advance its technology in order to achieve performance levels required for high performance electric vehicles.
Solid Power’s team focuses on developing and scaling competitive solid-state batteries, paying special attention to safety, performance, and cost. This technology has great potential to provide the BMW Group’s electric vehicles with increased driving range and a battery with a longer shelf-life that can withstand high temperatures.
Other categories in the Tech CARS Awards:
- Best Leader
- Best LiDAR.