Startups bet on faster-charging EV battery cells as an antidote to expensive, heavy batteries

To address concerns about range and charging infrastructure, many automakers have turned to larger battery packs to reduce the need for charging, but add cost and weight. But a recent Reuters The report highlights a number of startups that are taking a different approach.

Startups such as UK-based Nyobolt and Echion Technologies or US-based Group14 Technologies all emphasize ranged charging times, according to the report. They aim to produce faster-charging battery cells that can make frequent charging stops less of an inconvenience, thereby reducing costs by allowing more EVs to be fitted with smaller battery packs.

Nyobolt is developing a niobium oxide anode material that cuts charging times to just minutes, the startup claims. Echion is also developing anodes made of niobium, which are currently used to strengthen steel and are mainly mined in Brazil and Canada. Echion plans to use batteries for commercial vehicles, but plans to launch batteries for passenger cars in 2025.

Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX has run 1,202 km

Any technology that reduces battery size could help reduce costs and impact on the environment by reducing the need for rarer materials like nickel and cobalt. And, at least for the time being, it doesn’t need to be either / or a clause.

Over the next few years, automakers will likely need to choose between larger cargo packs or lower-tech cells, or smaller packages of top-of-the-line fast-charging cells. . The latter option would reduce EV weight and reduce reliance on scarce raw materials. But like a 2020 report found, no road is cheap.

However, it’s not just about the battery. The Concept Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX aims to do more with less by emphasizing overall efficiency. It recently hit a record 746 miles on a single charge, from Stuttgart, Germany, to the Silverstone track in the UK. There’s even enough charge on arrival for a few laps of the track.

BMW iX prototype uses our Next Energy hybrid chemistry battery pack

Chemical mixing is another possibility. Michigan-based startup Our Next Energy (ONE) claims to achieve 600 miles range in a BMW iX prototype equipped with a dual chemical battery pack. That could cut down on resource-intensive chemicals significantly, but it might not cut weight as much as minimizing the package.

On the other hand, Lightyear 0 does not emphasize fast charging capabilities like Replenishment of solar energy and efficiency– transfer loads off the grid. Follow a 2019 study.

Would EV drivers be increasingly satisfied with smaller battery packs if they were to be charged quickly? Let us know in your comments section below.