The developer and manufacturer of lithium-ion and sodium-ion battery cells for specialist markets is at the heart of the new project, called CELERITAS, to develop ultra-fast charging systems for electric vehicles.
Currently, the best-in-class charging systems take approximately 22 minutes for a 10-80% charge for a 280-mile range. The CELERITAS project is aiming to deliver an 80% charge in just 12 minutes. Reducing charge times has been identified as key to accelerating the widespread switch by consumers to electric vehicles.
Rapid-charging cell technology
AMTE Power’s role will be to develop its high-power pouch cells into a cylindrical cell format and provide these cells with the rapid charging cell technology that sits at the heart of the system. The grant funding relating to this project was anticipated in the Company’s forecasts for future grant income.
The five other partners involved in project CELERITAS are expected to be: BMW Group, BP, Sprint Power, a British technology company specialising in low carbon technology, Clas-Sic, the dedicated Silicon Carbide Wafer foundry and Eltrium, a designer and manufacturer of electrical harnesses and energy storage systems.
Bringing innovations to the battery platform
This is the second APCUK funded project AMTE has been selected to be a key partner in. The first, announced in June 2021, is Project ULTRA for which AMTE is the lead supplier.
Kevin Brundish, chief executive officer of AMTE Power, said: “A key focus of this project is to target BMW’s future battery specifications and requirements with each partner bringing innovations to the battery platform.
“It is, therefore, an excellent opportunity to contribute as well as demonstrate the capabilities of our cell technology to the other partners not just for fast charging but also for fast discharge (acceleration) and ultimately vehicle range.”