The government of Canada will award $18.2 million to two companies to promote lighter vehicles and better battery management.

Auto parts manufacturer Astrex will receive up to $17 million to establish a facility that produces lightweight, high-strength aluminum components.

Another $1.2 million will go to GBatteries Energy Canada of Ottawa, which will work with eCAMION and S&C Electric Canada to develop an Active Battery Management System (ActiveBMS). The goal is to increase charging rates by at least six times over current technology. GBatteries hopes to demonstrate technology that will allow a battery to be charged to 50% in five minutes and 80% in 10 minutes.

ActiveBMS is designed to impede lithium-ion battery degradation mechanisms, such as growth of the SEI layer, anode cracking and temperature rise, by continuously adapting bursts of energy during the charging process. The idea is to improve battery performance without altering how the battery is manufactured, but by changing the way it’s controlled in a vehicle.

Source: Government of Canada via Green Car Congress
Image: Tesla