Stellantis Unveils New Battery Design

Stellantis has created a new prototype battery called Intelligent Battery Integrated System (IBIS) in collaboration with the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) and Saft. This battery design incorporates charger and inverter functions directly into the battery, resulting in a more efficient, reliable, and cost-effective electric vehicle (EV) powertrain.

The design continues to use lithium-ion cell chemistry, but incorporates additional functions into the battery itself. The Intelligent Battery Integrated System (IBIS), the result of more than four years of research, is finally ready to be shown to the world.

Stellantis claims that IBIS' sophisticated control system allows it to generate alternating current that can be directly fed into the electric motor, eliminating the need for an inverter and onboard charger, freeing up space in the cabin for passengers and reducing weight. According to the company, the IBIS system can also reduce the cost of the EV powertrain, simplify the manufacturing process, and allow the vehicle to travel farther on a charge (because the whole thing is lighter). Furthermore, the technology could be applied to stationary batteries, generators, and power banks.

Stellantis claims that it is working to develop production technology by the end of the decade. Now that the technology has been thoroughly tested, the next step in the journey will be to construct a fully functional prototype vehicle that can be tested and developed on its test tracks as well as on the open road.