Nyobolt's EV Rapid Charging Technology Could Redefine Urban Mobility and City Commutes

Nyobolt, a Cambridge-based battery technology company, has announced a significant advancement by introducing its first running EV prototype, developed in collaboration with CALLUM.  According to Nyobolt, this prototype demonstrates the company's high-power density and fast-charging battery technology in a real-world, high-performance environment. The Nyobolt EV is designed to show the potential of drastically reduced charging times, achieving a 10-80% charge in under five minutes. This innovation aims to eliminate the inconvenient charging downtime experienced by electric vehicle (EV) users.

Advanced battery design

The company announced that initial tests with powerful 350kW (800V) DC fast chargers revealed that the Nyobolt EV's 50Ah 35kWh battery could be charged from 10% to 80% in just four minutes and 37 seconds, providing a range of 155 WLTP miles. The fast-charging capability is twice as fast as the current quickest-charging vehicles, offering 120 miles of range in the first four minutes.

Nyobolt’s 24.5Ah cells have completed over 4,000 full Depth of Discharge (DoD) fast charge cycles, maintaining over 80% capacity and over 600,000 miles in the Nyobolt EV pack—confirmed by independent testing by a leading global OEM. This longevity is significantly higher than that of current EV batteries.

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Initial testing of the Nyobolt EV using a 350kW DC charger has shown its batteries can charge from 10 to 80 per cent in under five minutes. Courtesy of Nyobolt.

“Despite some OEMs showing fast charge times in the region of 15 minutes, a closer inspection reveals the charge is usually across a limited SOC region specifically chosen to limit the amount of life taken out of the cell; for instance, between 20-80 percent,” stated Nyobolt’s co-founder and CEO, Dr Sai Shivareddy. “Typically, the charge profile will only hold these peak charge levels for a short time. Nyobolt’s low impedance cells ensure we can offer sustainability, stretching out the battery’s usable life for up to 600,000 miles in the case of our technology demonstrator.”

The compact 35kWh battery pack can potentially offer not only fast charging but also energy efficiency, lower costs, and reduced resource consumption for manufacturing. Nyobolt plans to commence low-volume battery production within a year, with the capability to ramp up to 1,000 packs by 2025 and up to two million cells per year. The battery modules are efficiently cooled, maintaining a temperature below 60°C during fast charging and performance driving. This is achieved through their unique low-impedance cell chemistry, developed from a decade of research by University of Cambridge scientists. Its anode materials in lithium-ion battery cells allow for a faster transfer of electrons between the anode and cathode.

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Wide-ranging applications

The company also announced engaging with eight additional vehicle OEMs and is set to deploy its technology in robotics and heavy-duty commercial vehicles. Shivareddy highlights the readiness and scalability of Nyobolt’s technology, emphasizing its potential to revolutionize industries by making previously impractical applications viable. He stated, “Our extensive research here in the UK and the US has unlocked a novel battery technology that is ready and scalable right now,” He continued, “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 our readiness and commitment to making the industries see that change is possible.”

Will the technology be good enough for heavy-duty commercial vehicles? Maybe not, as these vehicles typically require much longer ranges and larger battery capacities to handle their demanding operations. However, while some news outlets point out the Nyobolt EV's 155-mile range at full charge, it's essential to understand that this is not a disadvantage but rather highlights the importance of charger infrastructure. A range of 155 miles is more than sufficient for daily city commutes, such as going to work, dropping off kids at school, or running errands. The ability to recharge from 10% to 80% in under five minutes is a significant advantage, providing about 124 miles of driving with minimal downtime. This rapid charging capability underscores the need for widespread fast-charger infrastructure to realize the benefits of Nyobolt's technology fully. The Nyobolt EV offers a practical and efficient solution for urban environments and short-distance travel that aligns with the growing demand for convenient and sustainable electric mobility.