Nyobolt’s prototype EV sports car sets pulses racing
Nyobolt has unveiled the first running Nyobolt EV prototype, as part of its mission to launch its high-power density, fast-charging battery technology available in a consumer experience.
Just 12 months after revealing the concept, the driveable Nyobolt EV prototype, engineered together with British design and engineering consultancy CALLUM, will be tested in the real world, enabling OEMs to experience Nyobolt’s ultra-fast charging technology first hand.
Initial in-vehicle testing this month using powerful 350kW (800V) DC fast chargers has already confirmed that Nyobolt EV’s 50Ah 35kWh battery can be charged from 10 per cent to 80 per cent in four minutes 37 seconds – with a full charge enabling the prototype to achieve a range of 155 WLTP miles (Worldwide Harmonized Light-Duty Test Procedure - WLTP - is new standard to measure fuel consumption, CO2 emissions, and range). Under five minutes is twice the speed of most of the fastest charging vehicles today. Furthermore, as the first four minutes are at a constant current of 500A, this provides 120 miles of range after just four minutes of charging.
Independent testing of Nyobolt’s technology by a leading global OEM confirms that Nyobolt’s longer lasting and more sustainable batteries can achieve over 4,000 fast charge cycles, or 600,000 miles, maintaining over 80 per cent battery capacity retention.
Independent OEM testing has confirmed its 2.6Ah cells can achieve over 4,400 cycles with a 12C charge and 1C discharge at 23°C. Crucially, the cell internal resistance rises by only 50 per cent after 4,400 five-minute charge cycles: this is lower than the industry accepted end-of-life values for EV cells, which is typically twice the initial value.
The 35kWh battery pack in the Nyobolt EV prototype not only adds miles faster but the compact battery pack size benefits car makers and motorists, enabling energy-efficient electric vehicles that are cheaper to buy and run, and crucially use fewer resources to manufacture.
The result is a sports car weighing just 1,250kg; it underlines that Nyobolt can also enable the automotive industry to return lighter, better handling sports cars. Nyobolt is currently in talks with eight OEMs about using its technology in high-performance EVs.
“We can enable OEMs to build excitement back into the segment, which is literally weighed down by legacy battery technology currently,” says Shane Davies, Nyobolt’s director of vehicle battery systems.
“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.”
Whilst the priority use for this Nyobolt EV is showcasing and testing the battery technology, CALLUM’s team has engineered it so that low volume production – for road or track – is possible. Nyobolt’s battery assembly could be in production at low volume within a year, ramping up to 1,000 packs in 2025.
Nyobolt’s flexible manufacturing model enables volumes of up to two million cells per year. Nyobolt’s battery will also comply with the EU’s Battery Regulation requirements once in production – and its EV’s architecture also highlights how it could be retrofitted to existing EV platforms.
“Our extensive research here in the UK and US has unlocked a novel battery technology that is ready and scalable right now,” concludes Nyobolt’s co-founder and CEO, Dr Sai Shivareddy. “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.”
