Magnis Energy Technologies says its partner, Charge CCCV, has shown promising results testing optimised battery cells in a commercial format, taking another step towards its goal for an “extra-fast charging” electric vehicle battery that can charge in just six minutes.
Achieving commercially viable electric vehicle batteries that can charge so quickly is a challenge on multiple fronts, and ensuring energy efficiency, battery life and safety are not compromised at very fast charge rates are paramount.
The new results show that the optimised multi-layer 1.6Ah pouch cells, which are within 99% energy density of a regular iM3 cell, retain 93% capacity over 600 cycles, charging and then discharging in 30 minute periods.
The latest success ticked the box to allow further testing for the six-minute battery to go ahead last week.
“We are really excited by this technology from Day 1 as it will be a game-changer for the commercial transportation industry,” said Magnis chair Frank Poullas in a statement regarding the new results.
“Today’s announced results are an early step toward turning this technology into a commercialised product.”
The announcement follows on from news in September that the ASX-listed company had successfully charged an unoptimised 25kWh battery in six minutes while retaining capacity over 1,000 cycles, a step that it said was “game-changing”.
The six-minute batteries are regarded as “potentially the greenest” in the north-eastern US market, according to findings of a New York State government-backed report.
The company is considering making the extra-fast charging (EFC) batteries at a planned $3 billion “gigafactory” outside Townsville in Queensland, but first it will provide cells to an electric bus demonstration program in New York.
Magnis gained approval in late 2020 from the Queensland government for its feasibility study on the Townsville factory and has since raised more than $40 million to accelerate plans for the factory, including a $7.65 million injection in September and $34 million in February.
These cells will be delivered for use in electric buses in the Public Transit Technology and Innovation program funded by NYSERDA (New York State Energy Research and Development Authority) within the next seven days, Magnis said in a media statement today.
Magnis also has a 50.86% stake in iM3NY, a consortium which in 2018 acquired a lithium-ion battery factory in New York.
Bridie Schmidt is associate editor for The Driven, sister site of Renew Economy. She has been writing about electric vehicles since 2018, and has a keen interest in the role that zero-emissions transport has to play in sustainability. She has participated in podcasts such as Download This Show with Marc Fennell and Shirtloads of Science with Karl Kruszelnicki and is co-organiser of the Northern Rivers Electric Vehicle Forum. Bridie also owns a Tesla Model Y and has it available for hire on evee.com.au.
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