Akasol introduces third battery generation

The battery specialist Akasol has introduced its new battery system, AKASystem 9 AKM 150 CYC, at the Battery Show Europe in Stuttgart. According to the manufacturer, the third generation of battery systems "features the highest energy density available on the market" and is specifically suitable for fully electric long-distance applications such as coaches or trucks.

Details

According to Akasol, the AKASystem 9 AKM 150 CYC, with a nominal energy of 98 kWh and a continuous charge rate of 1 C, enables a range increase of up to 50% compared to conventional systems on the market while maintaining HPC capability.

The rapid charging capability (opportunity charging) and charging during longer downtimes, such as overnight (depot charging), allow for flexible use of the system and optimization of battery cell lifespan, the company reports. A lifespan of up to 4,000 charge cycles is achieved, making the lithium-ion battery system extremely durable.

The active liquid cooling with a water-glycol mixture and the excellent thermal insulation of the battery system enable the cells to operate within the ideal temperature range, thereby optimizing performance while reducing aging, according to the manufacturer.

By using battery cells in the 21700 standard format, Akasol also benefits from the ongoing development of the cells independent of the battery system. This will benefit future products as well, allowing energy density to be continuously increased over the coming years without modifying the system architecture. Alongside efficiency enhancements and cost savings, the use of standard cells also ensures high availability of battery cells from various manufacturers with global production facilities.

Focus on Safety

According to Akasol, the system design incorporates various safety features, such as two separate CPU cores to increase fail-safety. Additionally, the AKASystem 9 AKM 150 CYC features protection classes IP67 and IP6K9K, high fire protection, and is developed following the industrial standard ISO 26262.

Start of Series Production at Two Locations

The automated series production of the ultra-high-energy battery system is set to begin in 2023 at Gigafactory 1 in Darmstadt. In the course of 2023, production of the new battery system will also commence at the plant in Hazel Park, USA, announced Holger Dilchert, Head of Sales On-Highway at Akasol.

The highly automated and fully networked production in Gigafactory 1 in Darmstadt already has 1 GWh of installed production capacity today and will be increased to 2.5 GWh during 2022. According to Akasol's press release, this capacity can be expanded to 5 GWh in Darmstadt in the future depending on customer demand. In Hazel Park, production capacity is to be increased to 2 GWh by 2023.