Rimac announces more energy-dense battery development
Rimac is working on a new battery module that will use larger 46 mm diameter cylindrical cells as it looks to increase the energy density of its future packs.
Rimac’s head of research and advanced engineering, Wasim Sarwar Dilov, revealed that the Croatian company is working on structural battery packs that would be integrated in the car’s body. Rimac also wants to improve the cell-to-pack conversion efficiency, aiming for cells to account for 75 per cent of a pack’s total mass. To compare, the Porsche Taycan’s cells account for 63 per cent of the pack’s mass while the Tesla Model 3 stands at 64 per cent.
The battery cell format is somewhat known due to Tesla introducing 46 mm diameter cylindrical cells. However, Tesla’s cells are 80 mm tall, hence the 4680 format designation, while Dilov says Rimac’s cells will be varied heights depending on their application. Tesla plans to begin manufacturing their own 4680 format battery cells towards the end of this year, while Samsung is aiming to manufacture the cells in South Korea. Samsung SDI is also taking a more flexible approach to manufacturing the cells and offers additional formats with the 46mm diameter.
Rimac aims to scale production for its new components arm to no less than 40,000 battery packs in 2023, and growing to 200,000 by 2028.
“Previously we just tried to find the best cells we could. If you are trying to get cells for a few hundred cars you can do that,” said Wasim Sarwar Dilov, adding: “Now as we significantly ramp up to volumes of hundreds of thousands of units, we are in a different era.”
Rimac recently started production of their electric hypercar Nevera, as well as having a rather turbulent time with investors, as Hyundai backed out of their partnership due to the Croatian electric car manufacturer working with Porsche. This ended up with increased investment from Porsche in June.
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