Akasol launches ‘pioneering’ new customisable battery technology for large vehicles

Engineering company Akasol says it has developed a pioneering lithium-ion battery systems for series production commercial vehicles

High-performance, customisable batteries for demanding applications in commercial vehicles have traditionally been very costly, but Akasol is presenting the world premiere of a promising new solution at this year’s IAA Commercial Vehicles (Hanover 22–29 September 2016): the AkaSystem OEM.

The compact, modular lithium-ion battery system is particularly well-suited for use in commercial vehicles such as buses, lorries, construction vehicles or other specialised vehicles.

Experts at the German “pioneer of e-mobility battery storage solutions” claim they have succeeded in integrating standardised PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) modules from large battery manufacturers like those used in passenger car production to enable them to meet the demanding requirements of commercial vehicle drives. 

The first well-known commercial vehicle manufacturers will soon begin implementing customer-specific configurations of the new battery system for series production.

This new solution supplements the AkaSystem AKM product range, which includes Akasol-manufactured battery modules. These will continue to be used for applications where even greater outputs are required.

The new battery storage system, which is being presented to the public for the first time at the IAA Commercial Vehicles, is easily interchangeable and can be connected in all customer-specific variations, meaning it is completely scalable.

“AKASystem OEM complies with the highest safety standards in the automotive sector. Thanks to its maintenance-free use and high degree of technological maturity, it provides the ideal basis for reliable and economical operation of hybrid and fully electric drive systems,” says Sven Schulz, CEO of Akasol.

The automotive battery storage experts from Darmstadt install battery modules from large manufacturers in the compact and quickly charged battery storage systems, guaranteeing an attractive, cost-effective price-performance ratio.

Schulz adds: “Akasol customers benefit from scaling effects thanks to our series supply to various OEMs for use in electric buses, lorries, construction vehicles and other specialised vehicles.”

The standard version of the AkaSystem OEM features a battery storage capacity of 24.4 kWh at a voltage of 661 V (nominal), and can reach outputs of 150 kW (peak). Depending on system requirements, an unlimited number of the new solution’s battery boxes can theoretically be connected in parallel or in series, and thus achieve energy quantities and outputs capable of meeting any given specification profile.

A further benefit is that “the water/glycol cooling system we’ve developed ensures that the battery modules maintain a uniform temperature, allowing the battery system to achieve impressive output values over a long service life, all in a compact, reduced size”, says the Akasol CEO.