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 several types of cells all wired in parallel reasonably than in the present day’s collection association. The enabling issue to it is a new micro-converter the automaker’s growing in-house to switch in the present day’s electrical inverter methods.
In Germany, Mercedes engineers confirmed working prototypes to Inexperienced Automotive Stories of the programmable micro-converters. The converters are concerning the size of a stick of gum and twice the width. They regarded 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 will be linked 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 likelihood to mix-and-match cell sorts, chemistries, and extra for varied conditions. The converters might allow a pack to have LFP cells, NMC cells, and solid-state cells all collectively, they usually might name upon several types of cells for various circumstances and conditions to work of their optimum working home windows. That might open a brand new door for efficiency autos for the automaker’s AMG division.
Mercedes-Benz micro-converters
The brand new strategy might translate to quicker charging charges, longer driving vary, and extra flexibility in pack design, based on Mercedes’ engineers.
Mercedes-Benz paid for journey and lodging for Inexperienced Automotive Stories to convey you this info.