Mercedes-Benz has its eyes on solid-state batteries with its partnership with Factorial for battery cells, however the automaker’s already pondering one step past that.
Sooner or later, Mercedes envisions blended battery packs with various kinds of cells all wired in parallel moderately than in the present day’s sequence association. The enabling issue to it is a new micro-converter the automaker’s growing in-house to interchange in the present day’s electrical inverter techniques.
In Germany, Mercedes engineers confirmed working prototypes to Inexperienced Automotive Studies of the programmable micro-converters. The converters are in regards to the size of a stick of gum and twice the width. They seemed mild and have been encased in black plastic, however engineers have been positive to maintain us from touching the (presumably costly) prototypes.
Mercedes-Benz micro-converters
The micro-converters may be related on to any variety of cell pairs. This permits engineers to program and management particular person cell pairings independently whatever the state-of-charge. Engineers demonstrated this on a workbench, placing the blended take a look at cells beneath load after which independently turning on and off sure cell pairings.
Engineers mentioned the brand new micro-converters open the chance to mix-and-match cell varieties, chemistries, and extra for varied conditions. The converters might allow a pack to have LFP cells, NMC cells, and solid-state cells all collectively, and so they might name upon various kinds of cells for various situations and conditions to work of their optimum working home windows. That might open a brand new door for efficiency automobiles for the automaker’s AMG division.
Mercedes-Benz micro-converters
The brand new method might translate to sooner charging charges, longer driving vary, and extra flexibility in pack design, in accordance with Mercedes’ engineers.
Mercedes-Benz paid for journey and lodging for Inexperienced Automotive Studies to convey you this data.
