Mercedes-Benz has its eyes on solid-state batteries with its partnership with Factorial for battery cells, however the automaker’s already considering one step past that.
Sooner or later, Mercedes envisions combined battery packs with various kinds of cells all wired in parallel quite than in the present day’s sequence association. The enabling issue to this can be a new micro-converter the automaker’s creating in-house to exchange in the present day’s electrical inverter techniques.
In Germany, Mercedes engineers confirmed working prototypes to Inexperienced Automotive Reviews of the programmable micro-converters. The converters are in regards to the size of a stick of gum and twice the width. They regarded mild and had been encased in black plastic, however engineers had been positive to maintain us from touching the (presumably costly) prototypes.
Mercedes-Benz micro-converters
The micro-converters could be linked on to any variety of cell pairs. This allows engineers to program and management particular person cell pairings independently whatever the state-of-charge. Engineers demonstrated this on a workbench, placing the combined take a look at cells beneath load after which independently turning on and off sure cell pairings.
Engineers stated the brand new micro-converters open the chance to mix-and-match cell sorts, chemistries, and extra for numerous 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 circumstances and conditions to work of their optimum working home windows. That would 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, in line with Mercedes’ engineers.
Mercedes-Benz paid for journey and lodging for Inexperienced Automotive Reviews to deliver you this data.