Up to 87% Through-Life Cost Savings
Galvion has entered low-rate initial production (LRIP) for the Symbasys SWitchpack i6T high energy density rechargeable Lithium-ion (Li-ion) vehicle battery, the company announced on 26 October.
Extensive testing and development have taken place over the last two years, proving the utility, reliability and safety of the unique blended lithium chemistry that has been tailored to match the specific needs of military vehicle power. Galvion is the only company in the world to use this chemistry blend for military applications. High purity materials, combined with quality separators and laser-welded electrodes minimize losses and unwanted chemical side-reactions, which extends service life and environmental performance.
The SWitchPack i6T uses a proprietary smart internal battery management system (BMS) that includes self-shutdown and self-balancing protocols in unsafe conditions. The BMS has been custom-designed to operate effectively in the harsh conditions and environments experienced on military operations. It also has a battle-override facility for ‘beyond-the-specs’ operation in extraordinary circumstances.
From a user perspective, the i6T battery offers considerable capability enhancements and through-life efficiencies. Maintenance-free over a 10-year service life, the battery will deliver as much as 8,000 recharge cycles – over twice that offered by any alternative 6T Li-ion unit. Compared to a traditional lead-acid 6T battery, SWitchPack delivers three times the useable capacity and energy at 24 Volts (78Ah) and is 38% lighter in weight. Through-life cost savings are 87% compared to lead-acid 6T alternatives and 43% compared to other 6T Li-ion brands.
The Symbasys SWitchPack i6T Li-ion vehicle battery meets demanding military standards, including MIL-STD-1275, MIL-STD-810 and MIL-PRF-32565B. It also has been demonstrated safe when subjected to extensive ballistic and non-ballistic penetration, meeting stringent UN 38.3 commercial safety standards.
“Entering initial production with our i6T battery is a huge milestone for Galvion. We’ve developed a truly ground-breaking product that we know is well ahead of our competition, globally. Our ongoing work with a number of major defence vehicle primes positions us at the forefront of not only battery technology, but perhaps more importantly, as the leader in understanding the integration challenges involved in fitting these kinds of battery systems in modern military vehicles […] Vehicle power is an area where we forecast massive growth. The power demands on modern military vehicles are huge and continue to increase as more electronic sub-systems are integrated. With our SWitchPack i6T battery, we’re bringing the military vehicle market up to date with the very best technology available that not only increases capability but also significantly reduces through-life costs,” explained Galvion’s VP of Platform Power, Peter Rafferty.
