Switzerland's well-known neutrality extends beyond politics. Most European automotive manufacturers see it as an unbiased arena since the country has no production vehicle industry. Therefore, luxury and supercar manufacturers often earmark the Geneva Auto Show as a venue to debut some of their more radical and progressive vehicles.

Aston Martin will debut its most powerful vehicle yet. Bugatti will display the final installation of the legendary Veyron. Not to be overshadowed by McLaren or Ferrari, Lamborghini will reveal upgrades to the Aventador. Mercedes delivers a lime-green mini monster truck. Audi will announce the R8 e-tron, an all-electric sports car with better specs than a Tesla Model S. Even so, perhaps none of these are as significant as the nanoFlowcell Quant F. The company released the Quant E at Geneva last year, and returns in 2015 with the improved Quant F.

Flow Battery Technology

As the name suggests, the Quant F is powered by flow battery technology. Flow batteries are a NASA spin-off that have existed for decades, but have always had trouble obtaining a comparable energy density to Lithium-ion batteries.

(Click on image to enlarge.) NanoFlowcell will debut the Quantino at Geneva 2015. Source: nanoFlowcellFlow batteries generate electricity from a pair of metallic salt electrolyte solutions that are pumped into two chambers of a battery cell. The solutions are separated in the cell by an ion porous membrane that facilitates ion exchange. A cathode and anode collect the electrochemical charges and deliver them to a terminal. Total energy supply is related to the size of the electrolyte reservoirs, and because of the solution's low energy density, large reservoirs are needed to power applications such as a vehicle.

NanoFlowcell has promised a new electrolyte solution that is 5 times more efficient than previous flow batteries. MIT researchers discovered that infusing flow battery solutions with nanoparticle-sized electrolytes enables charge to be collected from all of the electrolytes in the battery cell, not just the particles adjacent to the electrodes. The nanoFlowcell battery supplies a peak power output of 800 kW and an operating output of 90 kW.

With 1,000 horsepower, the Quant F has a 0-100 km time of 2.8 seconds and a top speed of 300 km/h. Such performance specs give the Quant F comparable acceleration as the Lamborghini Murcielago and McLaren P1. It also has a range of up to 800 km; double that of the Audi R8 e-tron.

Scaling and Refueling

Doubts persist about the new battery solution such as its scalability and refueling infrastructure. The U.S. Department of Energy suggests that to be a viable automotive power source, batteries need to cost less than $100 per kilowatt hour and have a life expectancy of 10 years. Because flow-cell batteries usually require pumps and sensors, they are currently more expensive than lithium-ion batteries. However, flow batteries do not degrade as quickly and do not suffer from reduced capacity due to numerous recharges. The need for a sufficiently large reservoir adds to vehicle weight.

One of the technology's biggest advantages presents a well-worn challenge: refueling. Flow batteries can be recharged by replacing the electrolyte solution, meaning that refueling time is measured in minutes not hours like classical electric vehicles. Each new automotive power technology faces the refueling infrastructure challenge, since gasoline stations are pervasive. NanoFlowcell argues that existing refueling infrastructure can be more easily upgraded to support flow batteries than other alternative vehicle power sources.

If the Quant F proves to be practical, then sizable resources may need to be devoted to the technology, as flow batteries have numerous other advantages. Ionic liquids are non-flammable, which will make transportation and storage of the fuel easier and vehicle collisions less combustible. Flow-batteries create minimal thermal waste and there is virtually no chance of thermal runaway as with lithium-ion batteries. Since nanoFlowcell batteries have a flexible layout and the power capacity is limited only by the reservoir size, this technology also is being marketed toward the aerospace and maritime industries as well as domestic applications.

Arriving at a production model vehicle that operates on a flow battery will take more than a receptive audience at this year's Geneva Auto Show. When it does happen, consumers are more likely to see the technology first powering a compact car rather than a world-class roadster. To that end, nanoFlowcell will also debut the Quantino at Geneva 2015, a smaller-sized, flow battery-powered coupe.