Liberty Access Technologies

Electroflight’s new modular energy storage unit is designed for electric aviation prototypes

Aviation energy storage specialist Electroflight has launched a new energy storage unit that’s designed to facilitate the development of electric aviation prototypes.

Electroflight says its new SEED (Scalable, Expandable Energy Device) can be rapidly deployed without the need to create a bespoke battery system. “Designed for use in early-stage product development, SEED responds to a growing need from aerospace innovators for pre-certification electric and hybrid aircraft for test operations, which require a battery system with the highest levels of quality and safety.”

The new battery has a capacity of 4.3 kWh and specific energy of 196 Wh/kg. It has an operating temperature of -20 to 60° C at discharge and 0 to 60° C at charge. It features fast-charging capability and a self-contained battery management system.

SEED will be compliant with TSO C179b, which refers to industry battery standards such as DO-311A and DO-160.

“SEED can be used in a variety of applications in the aerospace segment, including hybrid, full electric and eVTOL projects, ultimately allowing companies to drive innovation and testing before investing in a full-scale bespoke battery system,” says Electroflight. “The compactness of the system also means that SEED can be used in challenging packaging envelopes—particularly in smaller aircraft where space and weight are at a premium.”

“The technology in the SEED system has been built on the foundations of the groundbreaking innovation we developed for the world record-breaking ACCEL project, and further strengthened from battery supply partnerships with eVTOL and CS23 aircraft customers,” said Douglas Campbell, Technical Director of Electroflight. “We are already seeing high levels of demand for the system. One leading operator in the electric aviation space has already placed a major order, requesting A samples by Q1 2023 and B samples and first flight in Q2 2023. Another two are very close to finalizing orders.”

“We will need a significant and sustained influx of investment in battery technology if electric aviation is going to become a reality, and innovators in this space need to be empowered to prototype and test as effectively as possible without sacrificing safety or accuracy,” said Stjohn Youngman, Managing Director UK at Electroflight.

SparkCharge raises $23 million to scale its on-demand EV charging service

Mobile charging specialist SparkCharge has raised $23 million in a Series A funding round co-led by Tale Venture Partners and Pendulum. SparkCharge will use the new funding to scale Currently, the company’s on-demand mobile charging app, which allows users to schedule a charge to be delivered to their EVs.

SparkCharge says the Currently service has delivered over 100,000 miles of range to EV owners, and is on track to deliver millions of miles of charge this year.

Since the start of 2022, SparkCharge has secured partnerships with global brands including Kia, Hertz and Uber. SparkCharge’s Currently app has been launched in 4 cities, and the company plans to expand it to over 20 additional markets.

“With the growth of the EV industry and the major gaps in charging access, we will be better able to scale our EV network regardless of the infrastructures in place,” said Josh Aviv, CEO and founder of SparkCharge. “The investments will also allow our team to serve markets where no one else can to meet the needs of EV owners and fleets across the country, in major cities and suburbs.”

“SparkCharge is thriving by offering a unique concierge service, while everyone else is pushing the same old, same old self-serves,” said investor Mark Cuban. “Currently makes charging convenient and accessible to a booming industry—reinvesting in them was an easy decision.”

SparkCharge plans to reveal several new products and major updates at its annual SparkDay event this August. “The products we reveal on SparkDay are going to allow for a fundamental shift in the way people perceive EV charging,” said Joshua Aviv. “We are going to disrupt the traditional way EV charging is done at its core and open the world’s eyes to a seamless, connected way of EV charging, effectively removing the EV owner from the EV charging equation.”

‘Most powerful electric watercraft’ Arc One electric speedboat reveals price, opens sales

Los Angeles-based electric boat company Arc announced this morning that sales have opened for its flagship Arc One electric speedboat, which the company boasts is the “most powerful electric watercraft commercially available.”

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Source: Charge Forward

Interconnect designs for EV battery management systems

Sponsored by TTI

Over the next decade, technology is expected to trend towards an all-electric society – a world with unlimited energy based on renewable resources without harmful emissions. This will be seen in a variety of verticals, from consumer devices to lawnmowers, drones and all types of vehicles. The trend of electrification is driven by a desire to reduce carbon emissions, advances in technology, and government mandates and investment in electric vehicles. The ability to both reduce carbon emissions from internal combustion engines and invest in clean energy transportation has become a widespread goal for government and industry alike.

By 2025, an estimated 60% of vehicles offered by automakers in the United States will have electric components. This trend will be driven in large part by investment into the critical components that make electric vehicles safe, reliable and functional, including the battery management system. This system oversees management of safety, electrical and thermal operations, as well as data acquisition and communication to the user interface. The battery management system is the brains behind the battery pack, allowing it to optimize battery efficiency and maximize range.

INTERCONNECT DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

The interconnect solutions within a battery management system are essential to monitoring efficiency, health and operational systems and communicating that data to the appropriate channels. Interconnects pass along critical information to other sensors – for example, sensors that detect gas leaks as well as heat and pressure levels that detect the health of every component of the battery. These components also communicate battery operations and safety concerns to the user, giving them confidence in and control over the status of the electric vehicle.

Due to their role, interconnects are a critical component to the safe operation of an electric vehicle, and a loss of connectivity in the battery management system could be catastrophic – any compromise to the systems could be deadly. Because of this, interconnects used in electric vehicle battery management systems must meet a number of requirements, including:

  • Accuracy
  • Reliability
  • Robustness
  • Failsafe
  • Vibration resistant
  • Automotive grade
  • Compact
  • Lightweight
  • Safe from short circuiting
  • Flexibility
  • Meet automotive-grade standards
  • Withstand temperature extremes

Specifically, interconnect components must be able to withstand the harsh environment present inside an electric vehicle while maintaining a small footprint and flexible components to fit inside tight spaces.

BATTERY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM COMPONENTS AND SOLUTIONS

Original equipment manufacturers have taken multiple approaches to solving these interconnect challenges that regulate the health and communication of the battery cells. Traditionally, battery packs have wires coming into the receptacle side of the solution, and the board side sits on a printed circuit board. Currently, though, designers are shifting away from that approach and towards using flex wires.

There are pros and cons to both strategies – flex circuits offer significantly lower weight and can overcome the complexity of right routing. However, flexible printed circuits cannot cope with any water. While this isn’t an issue within a battery management system, flex circuits could also be used in other areas of an electric vehicle that could be exposed to water.

Whether an interconnect solution uses a flex circuit or wire to board component, it must meet the industry qualifications required for it to be used in an automotive environment. Automotive-grade interconnects should be equipped with a locking or latching mechanism to ensure it stays connected even with heavy vibration, a sealed or waterproof configuration if it’s used along the outside the vehicle, and connector position assurance to ensure mating reliability and secure electrical connections.

AMPHENOL OFFERS AUTOMOTIVE-GRADE INTERCONNECTS

Amphenol offers a variety of interconnects designed specifically to facilitate monitoring and communication within a battery management system – a critical component to the safe operation of an electric vehicle. Regardless of how the battery management system is built, Amphenol’s portfolio of connector technology is designed to meet the requirements of the automotive industry. Amphenol’s partnership with TTI ensures that customers have access to the inventory of these critical components as well as design assistance.