Developed by the Swiss startup Morand, eTechnology has the potential to completely change the rules of the electric vehicle market. The proposed solution is traction batteries that charge to 80% in just 72 seconds – many times faster than traditional lithium-ion batteries, and even faster than filling up a conventional car with fuel. This speed will contribute to the universal introduction of electric transport.
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According to the American Petroleum Institute (API), it takes the average ICE car owner two minutes to fill up the car. The new eTechnology hybrid system nearly cuts that time in half — fast charging could play a major role in public acceptance of electric vehicles. Another benefit, according to Morand, is that eTechnology provides a much longer battery life than traditional lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles today.
According to the startup, during tests, a prototype of the eTechnology solution – three modules of 2.4 kWh each with a voltage of 400 V – was able to charge 80% in 72 seconds, 98% in 120 seconds, and 100% in 2 .5 minutes (900 A/360 kW). Geo Technology also conducted independent tests. Such a high charging speed is provided by a hybrid system that uses both traditional battery technologies and supercapacitors.
According to Morand, the company has tested more than 50,000 charge cycles of the eTechnology prototype, far more than conventional lithium-ion batteries can handle. The company also claims that the technology is effective even at extremely low and high temperatures, which also distinguishes it from traditional batteries for electric vehicles.
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While these results certainly do not apply to batteries with a capacity of 100 kWh or more used in vehicles with a long range, Morand claims that the technology is optimally suited for small city cars like the Citroën Ami, which has a battery capacity of 5.5 kW. h. The technology could also be useful for drones and e-bikes, which will recharge almost instantly.
The Swiss startup is partnering with as-yet-unnamed partners to bring the technology to market. These batteries are expected to be more expensive than lithium-ion batteries, but as production scales up, the price of the potentially revolutionary technology will fall. Morand was founded by former F1 driver and team manager Benoît Morand, who was instrumental in developing the prototype of the Hope Racing Oreco 01 Hybrid. The company’s goal is to integrate technologies used in motor racing into everyday solutions.