New lithium battery cells and packs for commercial vehicles

Houston, Texas-based Microvast, a publicly traded lithium battery provider, announced the release of two new lithium-ion battery cells and upgraded “Gen 4” battery packs designed for commercial and specialty vehicles. The company said it expects high-volume production to begin in 2023. 

The new generation of battery packs offer similar dimensions to Microvast’s previous generation of batteries, but now carry up to 20% more energy and power. The packs integrate enhanced safety features for thermal management at both the cell and pack level. Microvast said it expects the batteries will be certified by all cross-regional battery standards. 

The 48Ah and 53.5Ah cells are designed for the diverse technical requirements of commercial and specialty vehicles. Optimal battery design is challenging in this space, said Microvast, as engineers must choose between inherent tradeoffs between power and energy inputs. Both new pouch cells share the same dimensions and are can be integrated into the new battery packs. Microvast said this offers flexibility for customers, choosing between standardized cells for either high-power or high-energy requirements without adjusting powertrain design.

“The new cells enable our customers to easily optimize vehicle design in terms of energy density and cycle life, delivering improved overall performance and reducing total cost of ownership while preserving fast-charging capabilities. We expect these next generation battery cells to become pivotal revenue drivers for our business going forward.” Yang Wu Microvast president and chief executive officer.

The MpCO-48Ah is designed with 10% higher energy density than its predecessor, and carries 3C fast charging ability, and a life cycle beyond 7,000 cycles. The HpCo-53.5Ah cell’s energy density is even higher at 235Wh/kg, offers 1C charging, and can be charged for 5,000 cycles.

Microvast vertically integrates its business from core battery chemistry raw materials for the cathode, anode, electrolyte, and separator, to final pack assembly. In addition to EV batteries, it has capabilities in energy storage and battery components supply. The company was founded in 2006.