A new technical partnership has been announced that will see Miba Battery Systems (Miba) and ultra-premium EV brand Aehra co-develop bespoke battery solutions for the vehicle manufacturer’s all-electric SUV and sedan models. Working collaboratively, the companies aims to create a battery technology which surpasses conventional systems in terms of range, efficiency and weight savings.
“Miba operates a highly flexible approach, which is ideal for Aehra as we are developing EVs that transcend what is perceived as mainstream within the automotive industry,” explained Stefano Mazzetti, head of purchasing and procurement, Aehra. “Miba is particularly well suited to provide the type of features we wish to have in our batteries to provide optimum range and efficiency and integration with the body structure of our SUV and sedan.
“By starting with a clean sheet of paper, rather than opting for an off-the-shelf solution, we can build strong synergies between Aehra and Miba to ensure that not only does the battery pack fully complement the body structure, but that the body structure fully complements the battery pack.”
In addition to developing a bespoke battery for integration into the Aehra vehicle architecture, the companies will also work to optimize the sustainability and repairability of the batteries to ensure they deliver a long service life. Aehra will also apply its holistic approach to energy to the electric powertrain – including the electric motors and driveline inverters – to ensure optimal efficiency throughout the vehicle.
“We have no desire to build vehicles with 1MW or 2MW powertrains,” said Franco Cimatti, chief engineering officer, Aehra. “While the race car-like acceleration of such cars can be impressive if a customer wishes to wow their friends, within a few seconds the energy reserves of the battery are reduced to half, which offers little customer value for real world driving. We will offer excellent dynamic performance of course – but we are not setting out to break any speed records. We will take a more measured approach to avoid the need to oversize the battery, which simply leads to increased cost, weight, inefficiency and complexity.”
Through development of the battery system, Aehra aims to deliver an all-electric range of 800km from a potential 120kWh battery and, to ensure optimum efficiency, the OEM targets a peak voltage at full charge of 925V with the capacity to charge at up to 350kW.
“This is an exciting partnership for the development and production of battery packs for high performance electric vehicles,” commented Stefan Gaigg, managing director, Miba Battery Systems. “Our technology will help AEHRA achieve its goal of delivering super-efficient vehicles in the premium EV segment. In addition to these performance targets, we share a common desire to reduce the carbon footprint and improve recyclability of the battery system.”
