In a perfect world, there would be a single magic battery that does it all. All you need to do is pop the battery from the remote control for the TV into your car so you can take a relaxing drive to the countryside, then use that same battery for your drone to record an aerial view of the trip and so on. Getting realistic, the battery in the TV remote does not have the same power demands nor the same environment stresses as your drone does. It is not exposed to the same thermal stress as the one in the car. So, it only makes sense to have a simpler, cheaper battery for the TV remote, whereas a more advanced battery that uses higher performance materials and is thermally cooled is ideal to apply for use in vehicles. Naturally, another battery that complies with tech specs strictly for the drone should be created especially for this application. This is when custom battery packs come into play.
Bold's take on battery packs
Bold Valuable Tech has the know-how and experience to design the exact custom battery pack for any application. In fact, one may be surprised to consider that even standard battery environments can go from conventional battery pack to a tailor-made one. In return, the battery can deliver a better performance and reduce the space it takes up. The main benefit to extol from custom-designed battery packs is that the operating variables are clearly defined from the get-go and factored into the design. This can often result in a higher-performance, longer life and safer operation of the battery.
Drawing from our valuable hands-on experience in developing battery packs in the F1 industry, Bold is well-aware of the varying demands of performance and safety. Related to F1, our team is sensitive to the needs and finality of the battery pack’s application. For example, in motorsport, the lighter the components, the higher performing the overall vehicle. When we updated an existing composite component and developed a solution that was nearly 11 times lighter than the original, our clients did not hesitate to approve the new solution we proposed. (Learn more about Composite Materials here.) Not only was there an improvement, but it was also achieved through FEA simulation testing environment which limits the time and resources necessary to develop it. Bold’s methods make it possible to reduce costs and unnecessary waste which is in accordance with the latest regulations on sustainability to reduce carbon emissions and any other negative effect on the environment.
Battery chemistry options
Now that we agree that batteries all come in different shapes and sizes, we can go on to examine the array of battery chemistries that exists.
The recent advances in lithium-ion chemistry have produced changes in the most used formulations depending on the application demands. For cost sensitive applications, Lithium Iron Phosphate is used, which has low energy density. Another characteristic of these cells is their high-power specific properties, which meant they have been used in motorsport. Other common chemistries are NMC or NMA. They are based on nickel and manganese with use of some cobalt or aluminum. Cobalt is a stabilizer that has been used for years, but it is costly. Not to mention the fact that most of it is sourced from mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is notorious for unsafe working conditions and child labor. Hence the latest trends are making a conscious effort to reduce its use which would eventually vanish it completely from the system. The increase in Nickel content is promising as far as enhancing performance of the cells at the expense of cost goes, but it is still cheaper than using cobalt.
The world renowned EV company Tesla is also gravitating towards different chemistries on the cathode side. Tesla is to provide three distinct types of lithium-ion batteries ranging from a more economical one to one that gives an optimal performance. At present, Tesla uses an NCA chemistry which is made up of lithium-nickel-cobalt-aluminum as opposed to the more widespread chemistry in the EV industry with is NMC, which comprises of nickel-manganese-cobalt. Geared towards eliminating the implementation of Cobalt, Tesla claims to have created two new chemistries. Instead of cobalt as the stabilizer, a new “high-nickel” cathode chemistry that counts on “novel coatings and dopants”. At this point, its exact make-up has yet to be revealed, but there are those who speculate that it is 100% nickel. Owing to its extremely high-energy density, which does not come cheaply, it would make sense for it to be applied in the Cybertruck and Tesla Semi where it demands the greatest energy density.
As designers of custom battery packs, it is our duty to be informed on all new regulations in the battery market on a global level just as it is everyone’s responsibility to do their part towards a healthier planet. You can count on Bold Valuable Tech for their expertise on this and any other battery related matter.
A battery pack you can rely on
It is Bold’s experience that Li-ion batteries are in the greatest demand for our clients’ projects. We can shape them into a design fit to work under extreme duress in which it must withstand shock, temperature and vibration. They are also adapted to perform in environments prone to dust or moisture. It is also possible to create a compact battery pack where it is essential to save on space. Thanks to its high energy density, low self-discharge rates and rapid charge times, lithium-ion battery packs are clearly immensely popular. Our custom-built lithium battery packs are assembled using high quality cells which are diligently designed and tested ‘in-house’ by our multi-disciplinary team of experienced engineers.