Bipole battery technology firm Gridtential Energy has signed a product development agreement with lead-acid battery maker Camel Energy and an unnamed “top-three US automaker” that is supplied by Camel.
The agreement aims to deliver batteries that can be used for low-voltage applications in electric vehicles and extended to support 48V batteries used in mild-hybrid vehicles.
Under the agreement, the companies’ engineering teams will work closely to optimise the thin-plate cell design and manufacturing of advanced bipole batteries.
They will also verify metrics of cycle life, energy density, battery efficiency and charge acceptance.
Camel aims to deliver batteries using Gridtential’s Silicon Joule technology to automotive companies.
Silicon Joule battery technology substitutes treated silicon wafers, like those found in solar panels, for conventional lead grids to create an advanced AGM lead battery.
Camel says its silicon hybrid batteries will have at least twice the lifespan of a traditional 12V lead battery.
Zubo Zhang, president of Camel Energy, said: “We have been following the promise and advancements in bipole technology for many years.
“Gridtential’s technology readily scales, allowing us to offer a suite of bipole batteries for the transportation and other markets. This all works well with our interest to expand our localisation in North America with major automotive customers.”
Gridtential CEO John Barton, said: “There’s a growing recognition in the marketplace that innovative design and optimisation of conventional active materials offers a safer alternative to lithium-ion with comparable performance and lower cost.
“We look forward to partnering with Camel and its automotive customers to hone the design, performance and manufacturing of these batteries as they build market share.”
Bipole lead battery
By replacing traditional lead plates with specially-formulated silicon hybrid bipoles, batteries can operate at higher temperatures and tolerate vibration better than traditional lead-based batteries.
One of the key components of Camel batteries will be the Silicon Joule PowerPlate™, which sits between thin battery cells and will be coated with Camel’s active material.
Gridtential has development agreements with 15 battery makers.
Gridtential’s Silicon Joule reference batteries, development kits, bipole materials and non-exclusive licenses, are available for 24V, 36V & 48V batteries for hybrid-automotive, Low-Speed EV, energy storage system and telecom backup markets.