The Swiss battery system manufacturer Ecovolta has developed a standardized li-ion traction battery that significantly cuts the time and expense needed to bring electric vehicles to the serial production stage. Manufacturers can rapidly convert even smaller or pre-existing vehicle series to run on electricity, creating prototypes within just a few weeks.

Customized battery packs were previously developed for each individual vehicle model. The time required by this process created additional risks and meant that electric vehicle manufacture was only profitable with larger production runs. In contrast, Ecovolta’s Evo Traction Battery is already certified as a universal solution Evo Traction Battery development. Source: Ecovoltaand can be quickly put to use.

“We estimate that vehicle manufacturers using a battery with an operating voltage of 48 volts and a capacity of 10 kilowatt hours (kWh), for example, will be able to save a total of 250,000 to 500,000 euros in development and certification costs,” said CTO Paul Hauser.

Standardization cuts the costs per kWh of electricity stored, lowering the barriers to entry for companies looking to move into e-mobility. It covers aspects of the dimensions, capacity levels and electronics. Users of the Evo Traction Battery receive fully documented certification for all battery packs, including the crucial UN 38.3 certification for transport safety.

The integrated battery management system enables master-slave operation as well as connection of the batteries to a CAN bus. This allows the batteries to exchange data with the higher-level control system, which is essential for safe and efficient vehicle operation. The safety technology, relay and precharging are also integrated.

The Evo Traction Battery is available with 24 V, 48 V and 400 V as well as a capacity of 2.5 kWh to 15 kWh. Up to 16 batteries can be connected in series in any configuration, and up to 32 strings can be connected in parallel, allowing a battery voltage of between 24 and 829 V and a total capacity of up to around 7,600 kWh.

Every battery module has a fixed length of 520 mm and a width of 218 mm, while the height depends on the voltage and capacity. This creates clear parameters for the vehicle design.