Motiv Field Tests Next Gen Batteries

Motiv Power Systems is testing next-generation energy storage technology from Our Next Energy (ONE) that it says will enable its EV vans and trucks to extend range and payload limits.

Motiv’s EVs will feature ONE’s Aries LFP battery system that can be deployed with a full vehicle payload on routes of more than 150 miles per charge, the company says.

In a Motiv field test, a medium-duty electric vehicle hauling 6,000 pounds of payload traveled the 150-mile drive south from San Francisco to Monterey, California. A second field test was conducted on public roads in both city and highway traffic conditions in a vehicle hauling the daily payload typical for Motiv’s commercial customers, according to the company.

“This is a major milestone for our commercial customers who deploy EV fleets every day that are critical to driving business results,” said Tim Krauskopf, Motiv CEO, in a prepared statement.

The ONE battery technology will enable Motiv to provide 156 kWh with two battery packs instead of three packs for 127 kWh. Motiv customers will also benefit from ONE's safe and sustainable LFP cathode chemistry, according to the company.

The Aries chemistry is free of nickel and cobalt, which helps lower costs and create a more sustainable raw material supply chain compared to the current industry standard. LFP chemistry is safer, more thermally, and chemically stable, according to the company, and has a significantly longer lifetime.

“Our Structural Cell-to-Pack architecture yields higher system-level energy density compared to leading competitors,” said Mujeeb Ijaz, founder and CEO of ONE, in a statement. “Improving the energy density of electric commercial vehicles will allow for better range, increasing fleet-wide adoption.”

ONE's scalable architecture allows for series and parallel configurations and at least 3,000 recharge cycles. The company's integrated Battery Management System (BMS) also protects against overcharging. Since the chemistry is safe to pack densely, the 156 kWh battery system will take up 30 percent less volume than its current 127 kWh configuration, which will help improve range and performance.

Motiv’s sixth-generation platform will also include a new motor as part of the company’s suite of patented technologies. Motiv’s family of all-electric vehicles, powered by ONE, will be available across Motiv’s entire range of vehicle applications in 2023.

Source: Motiv Power Systems