Swiss technology start-up Morand has launched an energy storage technology —
Morand eTechnology — that the company says can recharge a city car in 72sec. The ‘hybrid system combines the characteristics of an ultracapacitor with that of a chemical battery to create a durable and ultra-fast energy pack that can be usefully recharged in seconds’.
Morand says its eTechnology is suitable for applications that require fast, semi-frequent charges of around 5min or less, adding that this capability opens the possibility for numerous applications, from city cars and drones to e-bikes and e-scooters, as well as robotics, aggrotech, defence, rail locomotives, and more.
The eTechnology packs use hybrid ultracapacitors (HUC) cells from the Swiss company Sech SA as part of an exclusive partnership. These cells are used in combination with ‘advanced controllers’ to ‘safely achieve eTechnology’s exceptionally high levels of performance’. Independent testing by Geo Technology SA has ‘conclusively demonstrated the ability of Morand eTechnology to recharge a 7.2kW test unit in 120sec (98% charging) at up to 900A/360kW.
Greater durabilityMorand said that while there are technologies that can charge and discharge rapidly, they are usually limited by the number of cycles they can perform before capacity degradation. “Morand’s eTechnology does so with much greater durability than other systems. Indeed, testing has demonstrated its ability to complete more than 50,000 cycles, with the longest-running test unit now approaching 70,000 cycles; and unlike conventional lithium-ion battery packs, eTechnology has significantly less reliance on materials like lithium and cobalt.”
Morand said it is working with a production partner to manufacture the units, adding that “While production volumes are currently relatively low compared to lithium-ion cells, plans to ramp up production are already in place. This will help to bring eTechnology closer to price parity with lithium-ion solutions.”
Benoît Morand, the company’s founder and managing director, said: “This is an incredible breakthrough in energy storage systems that has the potential to revolutionise multiple industries and greatly advance a number of mobility businesses. With much faster recharging, new possibilities are opened across the spectrum of transport, devices and activities.
“I believe that eTechnology will soon find extensive adoption as the go-to solution for certain applications; and while our testing and development programme has been extensive, we have also verified our claims with independent testing. We are now focusing on scaling with our production partner, seeking additional investment and finalising agreements for a number of key applications, including drones and e-bikes.”