ATLIS Motor Vehicles, a start-up mobility technology company, announced the production of the AMV battery cell at its headquarters in Mesa, Arizona. ATLIS is developing its own battery cells and packs to power 300-, 400- and 500-mile range batteries for the ATLIS XP platform and XT pickup truck. Those batteries will be the first in the industry to charge in less than 15 minutes. ATLIS plans to commercially launch their next generation AMV battery cell in Q4 2021. 

ATLIS is creating Z-fold, tabless prismatic cells and is taking a unique approach to the battery management system. The ability to charge in less than 15 minutes requires getting electrons into a battery quickly and managing thermal loads. ATLIS cells are heated to a high temperature at the beginning of the charge to prevent dendrites, lithium formations that can grow inside the battery and cause cell failure, then cooled rapidly at the end to increase life of the cell. 

Partnering with Clemson University in a three-year master research agreement, ATLIS has been conducting extensive research at the Clemson Nanomaterials Institute (CNI) with CNI founder and director Apparao Rao and his team. Unlike existing cell designs, the ATLIS cells utilize custom coatings to strike a balance between energy and power and will be scaled to fit a variety of vehicle classes. These coatings, coupled with a special mechanical construction, will lead to optimized energy capacity and reduced charging time.

“We have reached a new milestone this week with the production of our AMV battery cells and this is the first cell designed specifically for the automotive industry,” said ATLIS CEO Mark Hanchett. “Over the next few months, we will begin the testing and validation phase as we look to commercially launch the AMV cell with our partners in Q4 2021.” 

ATLIS plans to produce all cells needed to power its electric work trucks that will debut in late 2022. However, the company also sees a path to help create a more robust U.S.-based battery supply chain and has plans to source to a variety of companies within the transportation industry.

“We know battery development will be critical in the coming years as interest in electric vehicles increases,” said Annie Pratt, president, ATLIS Motor Vehicles. “By building battery cells in-house, ATLIS is securing its own battery supply chain while also providing ultra-fast charging batteries to companies in niche markets who are currently struggling to secure their own supply from top battery suppliers.”