NanoFlowcell

nanoFlowcell Holdings Ltd is a Swiss flow cell battery research and development company.

nanoFlowcell Holdings Ltd
TypePrivate
Industry
Founded2013
FounderNunzio La Vecchia
Headquarters
Kilchberg
,
Switzerland
Key people
  • Nunzio La Vecchia, CEO
  • Hektor Bertschi, COO
Products
Servicesresearch and development
ParentnanoFlowcell Holdings Ltd
SubsidiariesnanoFlowcell Management AG
Websitenanoflowcell.com

nanoFlowcell claims to have developed the first flow battery small enough to be used in electric cars. Its battery, also branded nanoFlowcell, was first presented in the Quant E,[1] Quant F[2] and Quantino prototype vehicles.[3] Similar to regular redox flow batteries, the nanoFlowcell battery uses electrolyte fluids to generate electricity from chemical compounds. nanoFlowcell uses, unlike the electrolytes in vanadium flow batteries or polysulfide bromide flow batteries, proprietary molecules as charge carriers; the electrolyte used in the nanoFlowcell is non-toxic and environmentally compatible.[4] The electrolyte used in the nanoFlowcell battery has an energy density of 600 Wh per litre, which is ten times the energy density of regular redox flow cells.[5] nanoFlowcell states that mass production cost for its "non-flammable and non-explosive" electrolyte is below 10 cents per litre.[6]

The systematic further development of the traditional flow cell by nanoFlowcell has been widely discussed.[7][8][9][10]

nanoFlowcell has registered offices in Kilchberg, Switzerland [11] and London, United Kingdom.[12]

QUANT Prototypes
QUANT FE premiere at the 2016 Geneva International Motor Show
Quantino at the 2019 Top Marques Monaco

Under the name QUANT (derived from quantum mechanics), nanoFlowcell Holdings is developing applications for its nanoFlowcell flow cell technology, mainly electric vehicles such as the QUANT E, QUANT FE and Quantino. The Quantino is the latest electric prototype vehicle produced by nanoFlowcell engineers for their battery testing purposes. The road-legal version of the Quantino was first introduced at the Geneva International Motor Show in 2016, together with its more powerful sibling QUANT FE.[13][14]

The Quantino and QUANT FE prototype vehicles have been used for technology presentations towards the automobile industry in 2016 to further demonstrate the use and advantages of flow cell technology in electric cars. Several journalists who drove Quantino and QUANT FE in public testings confirmed functionality of the nanoFlowcell's flow cell technology.[15][10][16] The Quantino allegedly has been using 12 kWh per 100 km in a mixed test.[17]

bi-ION Electrolyte

Similar to regular modern redox flow cells, nanoFlowcell is producing electricity from liquids. However, the electrolyte is not common salt water as commonly stated in several internet forums, but the electrolyte solution bi-ION consists of a conductive liquid - organic and inorganic salts dissolved in water - and the electrolytes themselves, nano-structured molecules which are specific molecules designed by nanoFlowcell Holdings Ltd. While dissolved redox salts are responsible for the energy transfer in conventional redox flow batteries, the bi-ION electrolyte is an energy storage medium whose suspended nano-particles permit a considerably higher energy density than regular redox electrolyte liquids.[18]

Controversy

European R&D institutes are doubting nanoFlowcell's technological progress with flow cells, while in the USA several R&D institutes announced their breakthrough with similar flow cell designs for electric vehicles.[19][20] Regarding the propulsion Top Gear concluded: "But while American universities say they find nanoFlowcell’s technology plausible, European institutions have poo-pooed it."[10]

The Quant 48Volt delivers 560 kW at 48 V, with 140 kW going to each motor.[21] This means the current going to each motor is equal to 2917 Amps which would heat up the cables dramatically. Porsche, by comparison, saved 66 pounds by going from 400V to 800V and is able to keep the motors cooler by going to higher voltages with greatly reduced currents.[22]

The founder, who does not have any formal education in engineering or similar background and has bought a PhD title, has previously been accused with defrauding an older lady by having her invest in non-existing solar panel technology.[23][24][25] On the website "jalopnik" Dr. Stephen Granade points out that, at the time of writing, the energy density of the flow batteries would be 5 times that of Tesla's batteries with technology where the energy density is typically far lower.[26]

See also

References
  1. "World Premiere of the new QUANT e-Sportlimousine". www.youtube.com. 5 March 2014.
  2. "This is a 1075bhp, 186mph electric car". Top Gear. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
  3. "nanoFlowcell Quantino Electric Sportscar". Gt spirit. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
  4. "» nanoFlowcellPremier Autos Magazine". premierautosmagazine.com. Retrieved 2020-12-13.
  5. "BI-ION - ENERGY CARRIER FOR THE ELECTRICITY OF TOMORROW". nanoflowcell.com. nanoFlowcell Holdings Ltd. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
  6. "NanoFlowcell Want To Revolutionize The EV Market With The Quant 48Volt". carbuzz.com. CarBuzz Inc. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  7. Clemens Gleich (2015-03-11). "Fantastische Literatur aus Genf: der Quant-Supersportler". Heise Autos. Retrieved 2015-03-17.
  8. "Nanoflowcell Quantino: Elektrolyt-Stromer für Jedermann?". ecomento.de (in German). 2015-02-19. Retrieved 2019-03-25.
  9. Online, FOCUS. "4 Euro für 100 Kilometer: Revolutioniert der Flüssig-Akku das Elektroauto?". FOCUS Online (in German). Retrieved 2019-03-25.
  10. "Review: the nanoFlowcell-powered Quantino prototype". Top Gear. 2016-10-07. Retrieved 2019-03-25.
  11. "nanoFlowcell IP AG". moneyhouse.ch. Moneyhouse AG. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
  12. "nanoFlowcell Holdings Ltd". Companies House. Registrar of Companies (England and Wales). Retrieved 30 March 2017.
  13. "Geneva 2016: Nanoflowcell Quantino". gtspirit.com. GTspirit Limited. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  14. "Quantino and Quant FE as near-production models". plugin-magazine.com. AM Ljubljana. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  15. "Revolutionary Flowcell EV could make production". autocar.co.uk. Haymarket Media Group. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  16. "Emissionsfreie Reichweite zum Nachtanken". auto-motor-und-sport.de. auto motor und sport. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
  17. "1,167-Kilometre test drive in the Quantino". Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  18. http://emagazine.nanoflowcell.com/technology/bi-ion-energy-of-the-future/
  19. "Instantly rechargeable' battery could change the future of electric and hybrid automobiles". Purdue University Research Park News. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  20. "Nanoelectrofuel Flow Battery for Electric Vehicles". Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
  21. "nanoFlowcell's newest concept takes electric mobility to a safer and more efficient level?". Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  22. "Porsche Taycan's 800-Volt Architecture Enables Slimmer Wiring, Faster Charging, Less Heat". caranddriver.com. 6 September 2018.
  23. "The wrong physicist and his solar wonder car". blick.ch. 30 September 2018.
  24. "The dream manufacturer". beobachter.ch. 3 January 2016.
  25. "The miraculous solar researcher from Zurich". tagesanzeiger.ch. 2 August 2008.
  26. "The Supercar That Runs Using 'Saltwater' Is Likely Bullshit". jalopnik.com. 22 September 2014.
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