Nyobolt, a spin-out company from the University of Cambridge, has showcased its ultra-fast charging batteries in an electric sports car prototype. The batteries can charge from 10% to 80% in under 5 minutes—twice as fast as the quickest-charging vehicles currently available.
Nyobolt EV prototype. Image Credit: Nyobolt
Nyobolt's batteries, which were spun out from Professor Dame Clare Grey's lab in the Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry in 2019, have rapid charging times and do not degrade as lithium-ion batteries do.
The Nyobolt EV prototype’s first operational tests will be used to verify the company’s battery performance in a high-performance setting.
Cambridge-based Nyobolt has developed power-dense battery and charging systems using its patented carbon and metal oxide anode materials, low-impedance cell design, integrated power electronics, and software controls. These systems facilitate the electrification of applications that require high power and fast recharge cycles, such as robotics, heavy-duty off-highway trucks, electric vehicles, and consumer electronics.
According to initial in-vehicle testing using 350 kW (800V) DC fast chargers, the Nyobolt EV’s battery can be charged from 10% to 80% in 4 minutes and 37 seconds. A full charge gives the prototype a range of 155 miles, twice as fast as the majority of modern cars with the fastest charging times.
Over 4,000 fast charge cycles, or 600,000 miles, can be achieved by Nyobolt’s longer-lasting and more sustainable batteries while maintaining over 80% battery capacity retention, according to independent testing of the technology. Compared to the warranties of much larger EV batteries currently on the road, this is many times higher.
Nyobolt’s low impedance cells ensure we can offer sustainability, stretching out the battery’s usable life for up to 600,000 miles in the case of our technology demonstrator.
Dr. Sai Shivareddy, Company Co-Founder and CEO, Nyobolt
The Nyobolt EV prototype's battery pack not only adds miles more quickly, but its small size also makes energy-efficient electric cars possible. These cars are less expensive to purchase and operate and, most importantly, require fewer resources to produce.
Nyobolt is removing the obstacle of slow and inconvenient charging, making electrification appealing and accessible to those who don’t have the time for lengthy charging times or space for a home charger.
Shane Davies, Director, Vehicle Battery Systems, Nyobolt
According to Nyobolt's plans, low-volume battery assembly could begin within a year and reach 1,000 packs by 2025. Nyobolt's flexible manufacturing model allows for annual volumes of up to two million cells.
Nyobolt's technology is an extension of 10 years of research on batteries conducted by Grey and Shivareddy, who created the innovative supercapacitors. The company's low-impedance cells, which produce less heat and make it easier to manage such high-power levels during charging, are essential to its ability to provide ultra-fast charging without compromising battery life. Lithium-ion battery cells’ anode materials facilitate a quicker electron transfer between the anode and cathode.
Eight more automakers are in discussions with Nyobolt about implementing its technology. This year, robotics will make use of Nyobolt's fast-charging technology in addition to automotive applications.
Our extensive research here in the UK and in the US has unlocked a new battery technology that is ready and scalable right now. We are enabling the electrification of new products and services currently considered inviable or impossible. Creating real-world demonstrators, such as the Nyobolt EV, underlines both our readiness and commitment to making the industries see change is possible.
Dr. Sai Shivareddy, Company Co-Founder and CEO, Nyobolt