“It is predicted that South Korea’s small and medium company’s battery technology will be used by Apple for its self-driving electric vehicle that is being developed as a top secret,” The Electronic Times reports.Because it is a technology that was never seen before, industries are interested whether or not a South Korean company will play a role of a secret weapon for Apple’s future innovative vehicle technology.”
“According to a battery industry [source] on the 8th, Apple recently signed off on a NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) with a South Korean battery developer to co-develop batteries for ‘Protect Titan (tentative name)'” The Electronic Times reports. “Industries think that this Korean company won’t be the sole company that will be in charge of Apple’s batteries. However it is heard that Apple has been approaching innovativeness even though they started off with totally different concepts from design, function, and performance perspective from the start. Industries believe that Apple is focusing on securing creative battery technology that will only exist in Apple’s self-driving vehicles.”
“This Korean battery developer, which is comprised of 20 or so employees who are expert technologists in batteries, holds international patented technologies for hollow batteries,” The Electronic Times reports. “These batteries are cylindrical lithium-ion secondary batteries that have thickness of 2 fingers and they are different from other batteries that their centers are hollow.”
“Apple did not choose standardized circular or rectangular batteries that are widely used for current electric vehicles, but it is planning to develop its own independent batteries for electric vehicles based on this Korean company’s hollow battery technology,” The Electronic Times reports. “‘Because we made a NDA with Apple, we cannot discuss any information regarding this project.’ said a high-ranking official from this Korean company.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: “These batteries are cylindrical lithium-ion secondary batteries that have thickness of 2 fingers and they are different from other batteries that their centers are hollow.”
Interesting. This reminds us that, in April 2014, Apple was granted a Liquidmetal-related patent for “counter-gravity casting of hollow shapes.”
Apple’s patent application abstract: “The embodiments described herein relate to methods and apparatus for counter-gravity formation of [Bulk Metallic Glass] BMG-containing hollow parts. In one embodiment, the BMG-containing hollow parts may be formed by first feeding a molten metal alloy in a counter-gravity direction into a mold cavity to deposit the molten metal alloy on a surface of the mold cavity and then solidifying the deposited molten metal alloy.”
SEE ALSO:
This battery breakthrough could change the world – July 12, 2016
Professor behind Liquidmorphium Turing Phone invests in Liquidmetal, named to Board, enters into cross-licensing agreement – March 14, 2016
The Turing Phone is not made out of Liquidmetal – July 15, 2015
Why does Apple keep extending their partnership with Liquidmetal? – June 25, 2015
Apple extends Liquidmetal exclusivity deal through February 2016 – June 23, 2015
Two new Liquidmetal patent filings from Apple revealed; list watch and jewelry among potential uses – April 23, 2015
Apple’s biggest revelation this week: Those revolutionary terraced batteries – March 13, 2015
Liquidmetal’s Apple alliance yet to bear fruit – September 30, 2014
Apple’s new Liquidmetal-related patent sparks speculation – July 7, 2014
Apple patents method for embedding sapphire displays in LiquidMetal device chassis – May 27, 2014
Liquidmetal-Visser agreement paves the way for more rapid adoption of amorphous metal manufacturing – May 21, 2014
Apple extends Liquidmetal exclusivity deal through February 2015 – May 21, 2014
Apple granted Liquidmetal patent for hollow structures in possible future product designs – April 23, 2014
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers “Fred Mertz” and “Dan K.” for the heads up.]
Yeah, sure.
Perhaps it is a flow battery with a liquid electrolyte. If so, the liquid could be quickly pumped out and replaced at an EV “fueling” station with similar utility to that of existing ICE-based vehicles. The liquid collected at the “fueling” station would be “recharged”/reprocessed for reuse, preferably using renewable sources of energy. Alternately, the liquid material could be recharged in the vehicle like a regular plug-in EV. I find the idea interesting…
Nice analysis. Would have to be something along those lines because having a hollow battery is otherwise absurd. Normally you are trying to maximize the density (and power density).
That sounds like an amazing concept. I’ve no idea how practical it might be and how safe the process would be, but it does sound like a tremendously exciting possibility.
Having the dual ability to rapidly ‘re-fuel’ on the road or charge from the mains power overnight at home is a particularly compelling idea. At the moment, such things are only possible with hybrid cars, using two power sources.
I do hope that you are right. This would be such a perfect solution for Apple.
The battery and the body of the car in one…
Well I guess it’s not a secret weapon anymore for Apple’s top secret car which I guess isn’t a top secret anymore either.
Its obvious that we will be getting whif of news about Apple projects only when they are comfortable that they can deliver. This deal probably happened years back.