Battery Management Pair Promise Fast Charging Plus Longer Life

Paul Myles

TU-Editor

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1st March 2023

A collaboration between two automotive software specialists claims to speed up BEV charging while extending the range and lifecycle of a battery pack.

NXP Semiconductors has teamed up with e-mobility battery management software company, Qnovo, to offer a bespoke intelligent battery management system (BMS) that uses predictive analytics that claims improved battery performance, range and safety in several types of EVs with any type of lithium-ion battery. The system, SpectralX, claims to reduce charging time by up to 20 minutes while improving range by 10% as well as extending the battery pack’s expected lifespan to at least 620,000 miles. It also seeks to target zero battery thermal events.

SpectralX is a software-only solution that works as an application layer in the operating system, residing on top of NXP’s BMS with an efficient footprint, deploying in a matter of weeks in a vehicle. With the addition of Qnovo’s Battery Genome, a data library of battery models for a broad range of cell chemistries and manufacturers, helps automate the cell selection process and save time in battery qualification.

The two companies are working on a reference design to ensure the seamless integration of the software system with the NXP BMS and onboard charger hardware. A validated design means software, hardware and tools work together, reducing development costs for electric vehicles. In addition, it makes fast charging possible without compromising battery health. SpectralX also adds predictive capabilities to NXP’s BMS and supports swappable batteries. The software has a small memory footprint that leaves room for other features, while the NXP secure boot prevents code tampering and enables secure code delivery, a key to mass-market adoption.

Robert Li, NXP’s vice-president and general manager, product line driver and energy systems, said: “The growing demand for energy-efficient modes of transport is directly boosting the growth rate of the electric two- and three-wheeler market and battery software optimization offered by Qnovo will strengthen our system solutions. Its edge software is particularly suited to emerging markets, where cloud access to manage batteries remotely is not guaranteed.”

Nadim Maluf, CEO and co-founder of Qnovo, added: “Our collaboration with NXP will help resolve some of the major barriers to the market adoption of electric vehicles, especially in emerging markets. This collaboration builds on our work with the world’s top automotive OEMs, addressing range anxiety, safety and battery charging time concerns.”

— Paul Myles is a seasoned automotive journalist based in Europe. Follow him on Twitter @Paulmyles_