Continental/Varta Develop Powerful Two-Wheeler Battery
Developing new technologies and products to advance sustainable solutions in electromobility, Continental’s development and production service provider - Continental Engineering Services (CES), is collaborating with battery specialist Varta Solutions Solutions.
CES and Varta Solutions’ First Pilot Project
Jointly developing an innovative product for the two-wheeler market, CES and Varta Solutions have unveiled a replaceable 48-volt battery pack for electrically powered two-wheelers with a power of 10kW.
The pack uses Varta Solutions’ V4Drive high-performance cell, which is based on lithium-ion technology. The cell has a high performance, fast chargeability, low-temperature resistance, and a compact design.
Incorporating a specially developed battery management system from CES, the extremely powerful battery cell can be used in automotive two-wheeler applications.
“The easily replaceable and quickly chargeable battery solution for high-performance electric scooters offers all the advantages that users expect from an urban and environmentally friendly two-wheeler,” commented CES.
Top Features
- Lightweight (9kg)
- 50-kilometre range (this can be double with the use of two batteries)
- 10kW power
- Detachable from the two-wheeler
- External charging
- Connectable and controllable via the new battery management system
Closing the Gap in a Rapidly Growing Market
The development of such innovative technology could close the gap in the rapidly growing market for battery-powered vehicles.
“Current commercially available e-scooters (mostly comparable with conventional 50 cc scooters) have little appeal to commuters due to their limited top speed,” explained CES.
Traditionally more powerful electric two-wheelers have had built-in batteries which require a separate parking space with a charging facility. However, “Continental Engineering Services and Varta Solutions have jointly developed an attractive solution for commuters without their own parking space,” said Alex Rupprecht, Director Business Segment Driveline & Electrification at CES.
“The 48-volt swappable battery based on the revolutionary V4Drive cell paired with our innovative battery management system enables the breakthrough of electric mobility for a long-range commute on two wheels. The battery system has a high power density, meets the automotive standards in its performance class and can easily be removed from the scooter and charged quickly. This is an ideal solution for commuters who don’t have a charging opportunity at their parking space."
The Key to the Success of Electromobility
“Intelligent battery solutions are the key to the success of electromobility,” states CES. In order to successfully shift away from conventional propulsion technologies to sustainable drive variants, electromobility needs powerful and robust battery systems.
“Properties such as high energy density, fast charging capability and flexibility in the design of our cylindrical V4Drive cell are decisive for progress in electro mobility,” explained Gordon Clements, General Manager at Varta Solutions.
“In addition, intelligent battery management is important for getting full performance from battery solutions. At Continental Engineering Services, we have a perfect partner which brings proven automotive cutting-edge technology to our knowledge of battery and storage solutions. In this way, we will continue to develop technologies together that offer great added value to people and, last but not least, to the environment,” concluded Gordon.
