Range anxiety is the biggest fear of every EV owner. If you get stranded in the middle of nowhere that has a gas station but no charging ports, 0-80% in 15 minutes will mean nothing. All major automakers and new battery manufacturing companies are working on bringing forth more efficient battery tech that can drastically improve the driving range.
While we are yet to hear from established automakers, a Michigan-based startup called ONE (Our Next Energy) has sent shockwaves across the internet by driving 752 miles on a modified Tesla Model S (Long Range Plus). The only modification done is swapping the stock battery pack with their prototype Gemini 001 pack. There was no additional cutting or fabrication involved. And the result was astonishing, to say the least.
Michigan-based startup ONE has created a battery pack that says - "Range anxiety Who?!"
Tech Behind ONE's Prototype Battery - Gemini 001
The Gemini 001 packs a much denser 207.3 kWh battery system as compared to the stock 103.9 kWh that the Tesla Model S Long Range Plus has. The prototype battery has an energy density of 416 Wh/L. But at the same time, ONE has managed to keep the miles per kWh consumption similar to the original battery.
The prototype battery pack uses high-energy cobalt-nickel cells in place of lithium-ion ones. The technology used here is still in development, so don't expect miracles like these to be mass-produced anytime soon.
ONE's Tesla Model S Did 752 Miles And Still Had Ten-Percent Left
ONE's modified Telsa Model S embarked on an endurance run to check Gemini 001 proficiency. And the results were mind-boggling. They managed to drive a round trip across Michigan for 752 miles on a single charge.
At the end of this journey, the car wasn't completely out. There was still a 10% charge left. Various parameters were strictly followed for this "proof of concept" test, the main of which was a steady average speed of 55 MPH and minimal stoppages.
The test result was again validated by a third party using another Tesla Model S as a dynamometer. This time it achieved even better values with 882 miles at 55 MPH.
The End Of Range Anxiety Is Near
Double the driving range with no change in battery pack dimensions would have seemed impossible if not for innovative companies like ONE. They aim to eliminate the concept of range anxiety from existing and new EV consumers. Currently, even EVs with the most range don't showcase rated driving range in real-life range.
There is an average loss of 28% due to varying environmental factors like temperature, weather, humidity, and altitude. ONE is on a mission to make EVs enjoyable. And while the Gemini 001 is still in the prototype stage, they have stated the demonstration of a production prototype in 2023. In the meantime, their first battery pack product - Aries will enter production in late 2022. This one highlights clever construction for a compact package.
Sources: Insideevs.com, Caranddriver.com, One.ai