The wBMS was selected because of its greater design flexibility, as well as, battery repairability and lighter weight. According to Lotus the collaboration between the two companies will enable it to put safety first as it develops its future EV fleet while continuing to push the limits of both design and technology.
ADI’s wBMS technology eliminates the traditional wired harness, leading to a reduction of up to 90% in the wiring and 15% of the volume in the battery pack. It also improves design flexibility and manufacturability, without affecting range and state of charge accuracy over the life of the battery. The wBMS also enables simplified assembly and disassembly of battery packs to ensure faulty battery cells can be removed and repaired quickly and efficiently.
“We worked closely with Analog Devices to integrate wBMS into our new Lightweight Electric Vehicle Architecture (LEVA), which will be the basis for all future Lotus EVs,” said Richard Lively, Director, Propulsion and Chassis Engineering, Lotus Cars. “The removal of the wire harness for wBMS ensures that Lotus can offer a lightweight solution that optimises performance and is consistent with our brand of delivering powerful performance cars with exceptional handling.”
The design flexibility of wBMS means that Lotus’ engineers will be able to freely design the vehicle and fit the battery pack into the design, instead of designing the car around it. Moreover, because ADI’s wBMS enables maximum energy use per cell required for optimised vehicle range, it aligns with Lotus’ focus on durability.
“Lotus has a stellar reputation for building high-performance, long-lasting race and road vehicles, and many reach classic status,” said Roger Keen, General Manager of E-Mobility Group at Analog Devices. “Together, we’ve reimagined what is possible and developed a game-changer for the electric vehicle industry: a new ultralightweight powertrain architecture and a wireless battery management system that enables peak performance as well as a more sustainable environment for a healthier planet.”
According to ADI, its wBMS will enable state-of-health measurement and simplified assembly and disassembly of battery packs to ensure faulty battery cells can be removed and repaired efficiently. Serviceability is also easier and faster for both road vehicles and trackside since the battery modules are software programmable for quick and convenient over the air updates. The cell controller lives with the battery module for life as one serviceable unit, furthering the simplified service model.
