Williams Shows Multi-Chem Battery Pack
Formula E technology could make it onto the road with Williams Advanced Engineering’s latest BEV battery pack.
The engineering wing of the renowned Formula One racing team has unveiled its new Adaptive Multi-Chem technology it claims enables reduced mass and volume and increased energy and power density within motorsport, hypercar and electrified flight applications.
Williams says that increasing the energy and power density of batteries is widely regarded as electrification’s greatest challenge. Manufacturers are usually faced with a compromise between energy and power density as they try to reduce the size and weight of battery packs for a target performance level. Its says Adaptive Multi-Chem technology uses a bi-directional DC/DC converter to deliver high energy and high power density in a single pack.
Williams claims a 37% increase in energy density for a target power density and uses a compact thermal management system to provide enough cooling without unnecessary bulk. It says peak power, continuous power and stored energy of the module can be tailored to individual requirement. The unit unveiled claims a total stored energy of 60kWh, with a core battery mass of 757-lbs. Peak deployment power is 550kW (20 second pulse), and peak regeneration power is 550kW (10 second pulse).
Paul McNamara, Williams Advanced Engineering technical director, said: “Our vast experience in battery technology, which has included acting as the sole battery supplier in FIA Formula E, not to mention undertaking many electric vehicle programs, alongside lightweighting and composites from F1 provides us with unparalleled expertise. We are well equipped to analyse and resolve challenges from energy management to aerodynamics and thermodynamics.”
— Paul Myles is a seasoned automotive journalist based in London. Follow him on Twitter @Paulmyles_
