Axeon and Ricardo Developing Battery for Future EV

The UK-based lithium-ion energy systems provider Axeon and car technology and systems integration supplier Ricardo are currently working together to develop a lightweight battery pack, which will be fitted into a future vehicle developed by an European automaker.

The two companies announced that the product will be used in a “'pioneering plug-in hybrid vehicle, which is guaranteed to grab worldwide headlines when it is launched.'

The car we are talking about will be a plug-in hybrid that will be offered by a well-known European brand and will use a custom-made Axeon battery. This uses an innovative concept, in the form of a Nanophosphate lithium iron cells from A123 Systems.

The battery pack will be light and will use liquid cooling. It will feature an evolution of Ricardo’s Battery Management System that offers an active cell balancing function. Ricardo will develop the pack (mechanical, electrical.electronic hardware and software aspects included) and then Axeon will cover the testing, production and supply.

"It's difficult to think of a more demanding application or client for our skills, so we were delighted to have been selected to play such a key role in this development programme,” said Lawrence Berns, CEO of Axeon.

“This car will transform thinking about hybrid cars in every area, especially performance. Our technology will play a key role, underlining our prowess in this competitive field and showing that hybrids can also offer significant advances to performance as well as environmental benefits,” the executive added.