Recently, electric cars have been criticized for their long charging times. In a bid to address this issue, a renowned British racing group has developed a new type of electric vehicle battery pack. This innovative battery boasts a large capacity, can charge in just 18 seconds, and offers high power output in a short amount of time. It has already received certification for large-scale production from the European Union, with hopes of tackling the slow charging problem associated with electric cars.
Named “VarEVolt,” this new electric vehicle battery pack was specifically designed by the prominent British racing engineering group RML (Ray Mallock Ltd.) for supercars. It is capable of delivering a large amount of power in a short period, allowing it to release all its energy quickly and provide supercars with strong bursts of power.
The battery can provide 6,000 watts (kW) of power per kilogram, with a charge and discharge rate of 200C (charging and discharging speed), enabling it to fully charge or discharge in approximately 18 seconds. By comparison, the typical rate for the Porsche Taycan is 4 to 5C, requiring at least 12 to 15 minutes for charging and discharging.
Currently, this technology has been implemented in the Czinger C21 hybrid supercar from the American hybrid supercar manufacturer Czinger Vehicles Inc., which can release 4.5 kilowatt-hours of energy in just 40 seconds. The initial batch of 80 luxury cars from Czinger combines electric motors with an internal combustion engine that maximizes the energy stored in the battery.
RML stated that the VarEVolt battery complies with the EU’s UN ECE Regulation 100 safety standards, and VarEVolt batteries have already been supplied to some manufacturers on a small scale, not limited to models like the Czinger C21. Additionally, the battery meets the needs of several major car manufacturers and is expected to be widely used in the electric vehicle sector in the future.
The modular design of VarEVolt allows manufacturers to adjust it according to different applications, expanding its range of applications. Paul Dickinson, CEO of RML, told “Autocar,” “We can focus on range, or we can focus on power, or we can balance the two, depending on the type of vehicle it will be installed in.”
James Arkell, RML’s Powertrain Systems Manager, stated in a release that the UN ECE Regulation 100 certification indicates that “RML is ready to shift from prototype design and small-batch production to large-scale production.”
Michael Mallock, a board member of RML, shared with “Autocar,” “The VarEVolt battery can release all its power very quickly.” Mallock disclosed that RML is developing a kit to upgrade older hybrid supercars (such as Ferrari, McLaren P1, and Porsche 918) with VarEVolt battery packs, significantly enhancing their performance potential.
He added, “For these types of vehicles, we can produce a replacement battery pack that will significantly increase driving range. If the other hardware in the car allows it, you could end up with a vehicle that outputs eight times more power than the original.”
Mallock further emphasized, “We have shifted our powertrain team from primarily focusing on internal combustion engines (ICE) to the integration and new design and manufacturing of electric vehicle (EV) batteries and systems, as no supplier could provide us with the products we needed. Additionally, RML is actively supporting original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in developing the next generation of products.”