10 To 80 per cent charged in 5 Minutes

Nyobolt, a Cambridge-based company, has introduced its electric vehicle (EV) prototype capable of ultra-fast charging. Collaborating with design and engineering firm CALLUM, Nyobolt is aiming to demonstrate its advanced battery technology in real-world conditions. This technology looks to solve the problem of long recharge times by charging from 10% to 80% in under five minutes.

Key Highlights

1. Ultra-Fast Charging: Nyobolt’s batteries, tested with a 350kW DC charger, achieved a 10% to 80% charge in four minutes and 37 seconds. This is twice as fast as the quickest-charging vehicles available today. A full charge provides a range of 155 miles (WLTP).
2. Extended Battery Life: Unlike traditional lithium-ion batteries that degrade with frequent fast charging, Nyobolt’s technology maintains over 80% battery capacity even after 4000 full charge cycles, equivalent to over 600,000 miles.
3. Sustainability and Efficiency: The batteries incorporate innovative materials and cell designs, reducing heat generation and energy loss. This leads to lighter, more efficient EVs that are cheaper to produce and operate.
4. Scalable Production: Nyobolt plans to begin low-volume battery production within a year, scaling up to 1000 packs annually by 2025, with a potential capacity of two million cells per year.
5. Retrofit Potential: Nyobolt’s technology can be integrated into existing EV platforms, significantly enhancing charge times and battery longevity without requiring extensive vehicle redesigns.

Innovative Technology

Nyobolt’s progress in ultra-fast charging comes from a decade of research led by Professor Dame Clare Grey and Dr. Sai Shivareddy. The batteries feature patented carbon and metal oxide anode materials, coupled with low impedance cell designs, allowing rapid electron transfer and minimal heat buildup during charging.

Nyobolt’s co-founder and CEO, Dr Sai Shivareddy said “Despite some OEMs showing fast charge times in the region of 15 minutes, a closer inspection reveals the charge is usually across a limited SOC region specifically chosen to limit the amount of life taken out of the cell; for instance, between 20-80 per cent. Typically, the charge profile will only hold these peak charge levels for a short amount of the charge time. 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.”

Broader Applications

Beyond their use in the automotive industry, Nyobolt’s fast-charging batteries are set to be put to use in other industries requiring high power and quick recharge cycles, such as robotics and heavy-duty commercial vehicles. Nyobolt is already in discussions with eight major automotive OEMs about adopting their technology.

Shane Davies, Nyobolt’s director of vehicle battery systems said “We can enable OEMs to build excitement back into the segment, which is literally weighed down by legacy battery technology currently. Our Nyobolt EV demonstrates the efficiency gains facilitated by our fast-charging, longer-life battery technology, enabling capacity to be right-sized while still delivering the required performance. 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.”

Future Prospects

Nyobolt’s EV prototype serves as a proof-of-concept, demonstrating the potential to drastically reduce charging times and enhance battery durability. This development lays the foundation for more sustainable and efficient electric vehicles, potentially transforming the EV market by addressing one of its biggest pain points—charging time.

Shivareddy concludes “Our extensive research here in the UK and US has unlocked a novel 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.”