Mercedes-Benz Invest in Revolutionary Electric Car Battery Technology
As part of the €10 billion Mercedes-Benz are investing into electric car technology, they have recently invested into an Israeli start-up who are working on an electric battery that could change the face of the car manufacturing industry.
The new technology would enable the battery to be recharged within only five minutes, which would provide approximately 300 miles driving distance. The brainchild of company StoreDot, the battery proposes a dramatic change in how we think about and use car batteries.
Mercedes-Benz clearly see the future lies within this technology as their parent company, Daimler, have invested $60 million into the Israel-based tech company, in the hope of adapting it into their future electric vehicles, many of which they hope to have ready for public purchase by 2022. Initially, Daimler aim to integrate the batteries into their HGV trucks, revolutionising articulated journeys for the division.
As it stands, there are some electric cars available that provide fast-charges in approximately 30 minutes, although some can take anywhere up to 10 hours to complete. If StoreDot are successful, it could reduce this by over 80%, which would be an improvement on vehicles like the Tesla Model S, which is currently one of the fastest charging EV’s available on the market.
When Mercedes announced their EQA Concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show at the weekend, Daimler AG’s Trucks released a press release saying:
“Complementing the investment, both partners have agreed to a strategic partnership that focuses on the field of fast battery charging. StoreDot’s FlashBattery technology enables charging any electric vehicle within minutes, as quickly as filling a tank of gas.”
StoreDot added: ““StoreDot’s core technology incorporates chemically synthesized organic molecules of non-biological origin. These innovative molecules demonstrate uniquely tuneable optical and electrochemical properties, which allow for enhanced performance of energy storage devices.”
Aside from the reported range and charge time, at this stage, there is little else known about the technology in terms of cost, or further detail beyond StoreDot’s statement about its technical make-up. The Israeli company have set their sights on a production date of 2022, which will take place in their ‘OneGiga’ facility in Shenzhen China.
