Electric vehicle range anxiety really could be a thing of the past if this new concept car accelerates into the mainstream.
You’re looking at the Nyobolt EV - a vehicle that’s heavily influenced by the old Lotus Elise and which has actually been created with help from the Elise’s original designer Julian Thomson.
The Nyobolt EV is the result of a special collaboration between two British firms - Cambridge-based battery tech specialists Nyobolt, and engineering experts CALLUM, headquartered in Warwick.
And the incredible thing about the Nyobolt EV is that its advanced battery technology means it can charge fully in less than six minutes, an effort that is being hailed as ‘a new record in automotive electrification’.
To put that six minute time into perspective, the vast majority of EVs can replenish the battery from 10%-80% in around 30-40 minutes at a rapid charging station.
No more hanging around sipping on a luke-warm coffee with the Nyobolt EV, then.
How is such super-rapid charging possible? It’s all down to the fact that the Nyobolt battery is smaller and lighter than any other EV.
A spokesperson for the enterprise tells us: “Currently, matching today’s convenience of petrol refuelling has been impossible to achieve in EVs. As a result, most electric vehicle batteries are big, heavy and costly, with EV costs unreachable for some buyers and with vehicles often weighing over two tonnes. The requirement for heavy EV battery packs places a huge strain on the supply of battery raw materials. Today Nyobolt is showing that this is no longer the case - Nyobolt is revealing new battery technology that is smaller and lighter and can also be fully charged in just six minutes, with a range of up to 250 km (155 miles). This breakthrough translates to a nimbler, more efficient EV with a lower up-front cost, lower running costs and lower use of scarce raw material.”
The battery itself is a relatively small 35 kWh unit. Nyobolt has tested it for over 2,000 fast charge cycles ‘without significant performance loss’.
Larger batteries for luxury SUVs, buses and even trucks are also in the works.
And then there’s the Nyobolt EV car itself - which is wider, longer, and lower than a Lotus Elise (below) but which bears all the hallmarks of that iconic, lightweight racer.
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David Fairbairn, managing director at CALLUM, adds: “Nyobolt’s pioneering battery technology has provided us with a unique and inspiring opportunity to support in the design and execution of a vehicle set to mark the way forward for EV technology. The collaborative creativity, engineering capabilities and steadfast efforts of Nyobolt, Julian Thomson and CALLUM have resulted in an EV that is not only exciting technically for the industry, but something that is beautiful to behold, too.”
The battery pack is due to go into full production next year, so watch this space.
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