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Monolith and About:Energy building AI battery models to slash EV development time

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Gavin White, CEO and co-founder of About:Energy, setting up battery test equipment to understand the processes that lead to battery ageing
Gavin White, CEO and co-founder of About:Energy, setting up battery test equipment to understand the processes that lead to battery ageing

AI-powered battery modelling could slash development time for new electric vehicles (EVs) by 12 to 18 months, according to the partners behind a new project.

Aimed at easing growing pressure for more accurate and scalable EV battery modelling and testing, the collaboration between AI software provider Monolith and battery technology specialist About:Energy was announced today (30 January).

Engineers from the British EV tech start-ups will work together to develop pre-trained AI models in the Monolith platform using battery data from About:Energy. Taking data from numerous batteries, the pre-trained models could enable more accurate, valuable predictions for battery degradation and thermal propagation, which the partners said would result in a lower number of tests, reduced testing costs, and improved battery performance and safety.

“The integration of advanced, technologically-driven testing and validation practices will enable vehicle manufacturers to obtain new, rich insights into the intractable physics of batteries – delivering higher-performing batteries in a significantly reduced timeframe,” the announcement said.

The partnership’s immediate focus is the automotive industry, with the potential to roll out to other sectors such as micromobility and aerospace in future.

“Our partnership with About:Energy allows us to build more accurate models predicting battery degradation and thermal runaway, using the most robust and reliable battery test data available to engineers,” said Dr Richard Ahlfeld, CEO and founder of Monolith.

“Whether you are an automotive OEM looking for more comprehensive data, a battery manufacturer, or an EV start-up without test facilities, our pre-trained AI models promise to help optimise your battery validation test plans, and ultimately accelerate the availability of better EVs.”

Gavin White, CEO and co-founder of About:Energy, said: “At About:Energy, we have developed technologies to obtain battery data of world-leading quality. This partnership with Monolith is a testament to our commitment to driving innovation and adding significant value to the industry and our customers.

“We are always seeking innovative collaborations that help tackle the industry's toughest challenges. Working with Monolith gives industry the access to the best machine-learning talent and highest quality lab data in an easy-to-use software package.”


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