BAK and Echion partner on UHP 2170 cell for AI data centres

Developed in collaboration with Echion Technologies (Echion), this innovative cell is engineered specifically for Battery Backup Unit (BBU) applications within AI data centres and other critical power systems.

The cell integrates Echion’s XNO anode technology with BAK’s proven tabless high-power cell architecture. This combination facilitates symmetrical charge/discharge rates exceeding 10C, offers an order of magnitude higher cycle life compared to UHP cell benchmarks, and boasts low internal resistance alongside high thermal stability and safety. Samples for BBU trials are expected to be available from late 2026.

This new product aims to bridge the performance gap identified in current ultra-high-power 2170 cell series, particularly for next-generation, high power density, liquid-cooled BBU sidecar architectures, including ±400 V module designs. Key advantages include:

• Symmetric Design: Unlike existing high-power 21700 cells for BBU applications, which have limited charge rates, BAK’s 10C+ product offers continuous charge and discharge capability. This reduces system oversizing and maximises usable rack space.
• Enhanced Cycle Life: Engineered for the frequent fast-charge/fast-discharge cycles typical of AI BBU operations, it offers significantly longer asset life, delivering best-in-class levelised cost of storage (LCOS).
• Inherently Safer: The cell demonstrates improved abuse-test results compared to standard graphite ultra-high-power benchmarks, supported by the intrinsic safety attributes of XNO chemistry, addressing critical safety expectations for server-adjacent BBU installations.
• Optimised for Data Centre Environments: Its low internal resistance and XNO’s thermal stability ensure full performance at the elevated ambient and rack-side temperatures common in dense, AI-driven data centre deployments, where existing 2170 series chemistries may derate or age prematurely.

A spokesperson from BAK Power stated: “We have observed that workloads are reshaping the power architecture within data centers, and the existing ultra-high-power cell chemistries are struggling to keep pace with this evolution. This is exactly the challenge that BAK’s new tabless high-power cell, powered by Echion’s XNO anode technology, is designed to address, and the very reason we launched this development project. We are now opening this program to select BBU system integrators who wish to secure early access to evaluation samples, pursue joint certification, and establish long-term supply partnerships.”