Aiways introduces EV battery ‘sandwich’ for safety
Adopting a sandwich structure to its battery pack, Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, Aiways, says its battery pack improves stability.
According to the company, the separation of the dry and wet areas of the cell, negates the risk of coolant leakage which is the cause of more than 80 per cent of battery-related safety incidents.
The proprietary battery management system (BMS) uses algorithms to monitor power consumption.
The battery is claimed to be a world-first, placing an isolation plate between the battery module and the cooling plate. It is therefore impossible for leaking coolant to enter the module, even after a substantial impact, says the company. The structure also provides partial insulation, reducing the rate of heat transfer between the external environment and the battery module.
Aiways has developed a proprietary BMS which uses state of charge (SOC) algorithms to monitor, manage and communicate real-world power consumption. The deep self-learning function of the SOC algorithm provides feedback on energy expenditure according to driving habits. This can prompt users to modify driving behaviour to extend battery life.
Winter testing revealed “exceptional performance” in comparison with other automotive battery systems. Aiway’s all-electric SUV, the U5, was able to achieve a real-world range of close to 300km at below 0 degrees C on its 15,000 km engineering drive from China to Germany last year where it set a Guinness world record for the ‘longest journey by an electric vehicle (prototype)’.
The sandwich battery pack has undergone 580 rigorous tests, covering electrical, chemical and physical elements, including short-circuit tests, extreme heat and frost tests and starting the battery at high and low temperatures.
With a capacity of 63kWh, the battery unit in the U5 is capable of delivering enough charge to cover more than 400 km. It can be rapid-charged from 20 to 80 per cent in just 40 minutes using a DC charger. It can also charge from 10 to 95 per cent in less than eight hours using a (6.6 kW Type 2) AC charger.
