- Customized battery package for AEHRA's SUV and sedan models to optimize range, efficiency and weight
- Ultra-fast charging with up to 350 kW and a range of up to 800 kilometers
- Focus on sustainability and battery longevity
- Bi-directional charging allows customers to use the electricity in the vehicle battery to power their homes when needed
Laakirchen/Milan, May 23, 2023. Italian design, technology from the best engineers and an American approach to customer service - by combining these three attributes, the new Italian premium e-car brand AEHRA aims to create an entirely new customer experience. The battery technology for the planned vehicles, which will be delivered starting in 2026, comes from Austrian technology group Miba. A few days ago, the two companies launched a development partnership for this purpose. Key targets include ultra-fast charging at up to 350 kW and a peak voltage of up to 925 volts, with the battery providing a range of up to 800 km with up to 120 kWh.
By jointly developing the battery pack, the two companies will implement a customized solution specifically tailored to AEHRA's vehicle architecture and chassis structure to optimize range, efficiency and weight.
Sustainability as an essential development process
The development project focuses on sustainability and therefore has repairability, the longevity of the batteries as well as of the entire vehicle as an important focus. In addition, AEHRA focuses on the entire electric drive system, including electric motors and drive inverters. These approaches are also reflected in the transformative design of the SUV and upcoming sedan, as well as a focus on new benchmarks for aerodynamics and reduced rolling resistance. AEHRA is not only the first manufacturer to take full advantage of a flat EV architecture, but is also taking a new approach to powertrain performance for customers seeking world-class intelligent, sustainable mobility.
More than a car battery: bi-directional charging
AEHRA's customized battery solution will offer customers significant benefits even when they are not driving. "Our battery technology supports bidirectional charging, so customers will be able to feed power back into the grid and power their homes," says Franco Cimatti, AEHRA's chief engineering officer. "This will prove particularly useful for customers who power their homes with solar energy from photovoltaic systems and use the battery as temporary storage." And there's good reason for that, because: Most home batteries have a capacity of 10 to 15 kWh, which is fine in the summer months, but can prove problematic during heavy snowfall in the winter, when photovoltaic panels are covered in snow and temporarily unable to generate power. However, if you have a car with a 100- to 120-kWh battery in the garage, that energy can be used to power a home for up to ten times longer than a conventional home battery.
Developing innovative solutions together
Stefan Gaigg, Managing Director of Miba Battery Systems, says: "This is an exciting partnership for the development and production of battery packs for high-performance electric vehicles. Our technology will help AEHRA achieve its goal of delivering super-efficient vehicles in the premium EV segment. In addition to these performance goals, we share a common desire to reduce the carbon footprint and improve the recyclability of the battery system."
Miba Battery Systems develops and produces its battery solutions at its VOLTfactory #01 in Bad Leonfelden, Austria, which was opened in September 2022. MBS will also supply AEHRA with the FLEXcooler® battery cooling system installed in its battery system - the lightest cooling system with outstanding performance on the market.
Additional VOLTfactory locations of Miba Battery Systems will be opened in line with demand in order to meet the technology group's "local-to-local" approach and to serve the demand for customized battery solutions worldwide, following AEHRA's global business approach.
Further statements from AEHRA on the battery development partnership
Stefano Mazzetti, Head of Purchasing and Procurement at AEHRA, says of the partnership with Miba: "Miba takes a very flexible approach and offers the ideal solution in terms of reliability, cost-effectiveness and durability. This is ideal for AEHRA as we develop electric vehicles that go beyond what is considered mainstream in the automotive industry. Miba stands for high quality standards thanks to the optimal combination of cell chemistry, cell size and cooling concept. In addition, the company's core values, such as its highly flexible, solution-oriented, agile and open mindset, align perfectly with AEHRA's innovative approach and this enables it to react quickly and continuously benefit from the latest innovations in technology, chemistry and production. Strong synergies are created between AEHRA and Miba to ensure that the battery unit fully complements the body structure."
Franco Cimatti, AEHRA Chief Engineering Officer: "We don't want to build vehicles with 1 megawatt or 2 megawatt powertrains. The race car-like acceleration of such vehicles can be impressive, but offer little benefit in the customer's everyday life. We will offer excellent dynamic performance - but we are not looking to break any speed records. We will take a more measured approach to avoid oversizing the battery, which only leads to higher costs, high weight, inefficiencies and unnecessary complexity."