ZapBatt, Inc. has partnered with Toshiba, merging its proprietary AI (artificial intelligence) software and next-gen battery hardware with Toshiba’s lithium titanium oxide (LTO) battery cells to create a new battery option for the micromobility market. The combined solution enables a faster, smarter, and more economical LTO battery system while allowing better real-time battery management and optimization, especially for micromobility applications.

“ZapBatt unlocked the potential of Toshiba’s LTO chemistry for a variety of industries and new markets with disruptive technology, moving away from the ‘miracle battery’ trap and providing a real solution hitting the market today,” said Greg Mack, Vice President & General Manager – Power Electronics Division, at Toshiba. “With ZapBatt’s hardware and software, and our LTO chemistry, there is no other solution as fast, safe, and cost-effective on the market.”

Toshiba looked to Oceanside, CA-based ZapBatt to solve some challenges in using LTO chemistry for batteries.

One of those challenges was a lack of chips that could work with LTO. ZapBatt’s custom battery management system (BMS) can work for the unique voltages of LTO and it has the ability to be re-configured to adapt as the cell chemistry advances using a programmable chip that can work with other chemistries and voltages.

ZapBatt’s unique bi-directional adaptive terminal voltage (BATV) technology allows for voltage control of the battery system digitally with software. This is like a “universal adapter,” allowing LTO to be a one-for-one swap of any lithium-ion chemistry without the customer modifying its system, allowing the batteries to be re-configured for other applications at software speed.

ZapBatt’s BATV technology “allows the battery to reconfigure itself based on the customer’s needs, essentially making it a universal adapter that has the potential to change the battery landscape completely, said Amiad Zionpur, Chief Operating Officer of ZapBatt. “Because of this unique ability, the e-bike battery can be used in many different applications, from micromobility to consumer products.”

The partners look at energy density as a system challenge. The integrated AI of ZapBatt’s solution allows for improved system performance by analyzing how energy is being used such as for enhanced regenerative braking on e-bikes. It enhances the battery’s chemistry key ability for moving energy in and out quickly.

“For global carbon reduction and electrification, we need better battery solutions now, not in ten years. said Charlie Welch, CEO and Co-founder of ZapBatt. “To address this problem, we worked with Toshiba to allow lithium titanium oxide to come alive, bridge into new markets quickly, and provide maximum economic and environmental benefits. Unlike other chemistries, lithium titanium oxide is very efficient in a variety of conditions, not just on a lab bench. It’s like the Seabiscuit of batteries.”

Toshiba LTO cells are said to be suitable for micromobility applications due to their high-performance characteristics in several areas.

The SCiB (Super Charge ion Battery) cells are designed for fast-charging and high-power environments with a minimal decrease in function. They provide up to a 100% usable charge without shortening cycle life, allowing for longer use. The cells perform in temperatures as low as -30°C (-22°F) compared to the 0°C (32°F) they say is typical for lithium-ion types.

A battery using the technology can be fully charged in 20 min or less and operated through as many as 20,000 charging cycles, eliminating the need for frequent battery swapping. Estimates, using real-world data, indicate that operators could save as much as 50% on costs based on current long charge times with lithium-ion batteries, by using the ZappBatt solution.

Most micromobility fires occur due to lithium-ion batteries containing oxides of nickel, manganese, aluminum, or cobalt. This type of chemical fire typically occurs when the battery is punctured, sustains damage, is poorly manufactured, overused, or breaks down internally. The lack of these oxides, similar to lithium-iron-phosphate, and carbon on the anode surfaces means that the LTO battery chemistry is effectively immune to thermal runaway and battery fires.

ZapBatt’s software uses a combination of machine learning and proprietary hardware to continuously improve battery performance. The software analyzes 26 data points to improve how the battery performs and its charging operations. Over time, the battery data allows the system to become even more energy efficient.

The company, which is led by co-founders Welch and David Felzer, CTO, along with Zionpur, COO, and Melissa Minneci, CPO, is conducting several micro-mobility pilot demonstrations in North America, with batteries estimated to be commercially available in early 2023. ZapBatt says its battery-as-a-service model can help customers significantly reduce both capital and operational expenses.