FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, Germany – Two of the world’s biggest battery suppliers presented major innovations at last week’s Eurobike. Panasonic showed its newly developed 20700 cell. BMZ, however, topped that with the world 1st 21700 cell. With the company’s new 3Tron battery system the lifespan of an e-bike battery is increased to 12 years, claims BMZ.
(Pic cap: "BMZ’s 3Tron battery system will be produced with big 21700 cells (21mm diameter and 70mm high). Together with stronger conductors and much more active cell material 3Tron offers 12 year lifespan! – Photo BMZ")
BMZ, which is Europe’s biggest battery supplier not only for e-bikes but also for tools, household and gardening appliances, announced its ‘true quantum leap’ in e-bike battery technology in Friedrichshafen. Such leap is needed as electric bikes in particular usually have a much longer lifespan than their batteries. This is commonly a battery with a 18650-cell format. According to BMZ such a battery is exhausted after 3 years at most when its maximum number of charge cycles is reached.
Less heat and up to 60% more capacity
BMZ, together with another global battery player, managed to develop batteries that offer a much longer lifespan thanks to the fact that the new batteries create less heat and has up to 60% more capacity. BMZ says on this, “The increased lifespan of up to 12 years is thanked to the fact that the 60% more capacity allows for a radical reduction in charging cycles, the real battery killers. The need for occasional quick recharges is also greatly decreased.”
3Tron system
BMZ further claims that its new 3Tron system offering a lifespan twice to three times as long as standard batteries will ‘revolutionize e-bike batteries’. Europe’s biggest battery supplier says, “With 3Tron, BMZ is putting its trust in a completely new format: instead of a 18650 (18mm diameter and 65mm high) cell size, 3Tron will be produced as a size 21700 cell (21mm diameter and 70mm high). The increase in output would not be possible with the standard format. The 3Tron battery system, as the first 21700 format system worldwide, is setting the standard in this new class – because it is clear that other manufacturers will follow and produce 21700 format batteries as well: the development possibilities of the 18650 cell format are exhausted.”
50% increase in energy supply
The 3Tron system also comes with high quality materials as stronger conductors which are built into the 21700 cell while the proportion of active cell material has been significantly increased. “This allows a full 50% increase in energy supply. Thanks to low internal resistance, the output increases by 68%. And the 3Tron’s discharge current is actually four times higher than that of standard battery cells. The new 3Tron battery is not only stronger, longer-lasting and higher in endurance than a 18650 cell, it is also lighter due to the premium materials used – as if predestined for the e-bike field,” claims BMZ.
The 3Tron power packs will be assembled in Europe’s giga battery factory: at BMZ in Karlstein, Germany.
Panasonic new 20700 cells
Also Panasonic presented bigger battery cells at last week’s Eurobike. Their newly developed 20700 cell (20mm diameter and 70mm high) is in particular targeting e-MTBs that have downtube mounted batteries. By the way, Eurobike indicated that integrating the battery in the downtube is currently the general trend among electric Mountainbikes. Panasonic says on its 20700 cell, “This battery call has been developed for compact and integrated designs.” Panasonic offers two 36V integrated battery versions with 8 and 12Ah allowing for 288 and 432Wh.
