Milan, 24 May 2023 – AEHRA, a new global ultra-premium EV brand, has started a partnership with Austrian head-quartered battery supplier Miba Battery Systems (Miba) to develop bespoke battery solutions for the AEHRA SUV and Sedan models.
The technical partnership with Miba will enable AEHRA to elevate the battery technology that will power its SUV and Sedan models significantly beyond that offered by traditional ‘off-the-shelf’ solutions. By developing the battery pack in tandem with Miba Battery Systems, the two companies will create a bespoke solution specifically tailored for integration with AEHRA’s vehicle architecture and body structure to optimize range, efficiency and weight saving.
Commenting on the partnership, Stefano Mazzetti, AEHRA Head of Purchasing and Procurement, said: “Miba operates a highly flexible approach, which is ideal for AEHRA as we are developing EVs that transcend what is perceived as mainstream within the automotive industry. Miba is particularly well suited to provide the type of features we wish to have in our batteries to provide optimum range and efficiency and integration with the body structure of our SUV and Sedan. Miba is at the forefront of battery technology and production. The company’s highly flexible, agile, and open mindset is a perfect match for AEHRA’s approach and will enable us to pivot quickly and continuously take advantage of the latest technology, chemistry, and production innovations.
By starting with a clean sheet of paper, rather than opting for an off-the-shelf solution, we can build strong synergies between AEHRA and Miba to ensure that not only does the battery pack fully complement the body structure, but that the body structure fully complements the battery pack.”
The development process will optimize battery sustainability and repairability, to ensure long life of both the battery unit and the vehicle. In addition, AEHRA’s holistic approach to energy prioritizes not only optimization of battery efficiency, but also the entire electric powertrain system including the electric motors and driveline inverters. It also extends to the transformative design of the SUV and forthcoming Sedan models, which set new standards for aerodynamics and reduced rolling resistance.
In addition to rewriting the vehicle design playbook by being the first manufacturer to fully exploit all the advantages by a flat EV architecture, AEHRA is also taking a fresh approach to powertrain performance for customers seeking intelligent, ultra-premium sustainable mobility.
Franco Cimatti, AEHRA Chief Engineering Officer, said: “We have no desire to build vehicles with 1 megawatt or 2 megawatt powertrains. While the race car-like acceleration of such cars can be impressive if a customer wishes to wow their friends, within a few seconds the energy reserves of the battery are reduced to half, which offers little customer value for real world driving. We will offer excellent dynamic performance of course – but we are not setting out to break any speed records. We will take a more measured approach to avoid the need to oversize the battery, which simply leads to increased cost, weight, inefficiency, and complexity.”
Range of 800 km (497 miles)
AEHRA has previously stated its intention to offer customers range of 800km (497 miles) from a potential 120 kilowatt hour battery. To ensure optimum efficiency, AEHRA is a targeting a peak voltage at full charge of 925 volts with the capacity to charge at up to 350 kilowatts.
Stefan Gaigg, Managing Director at Miba Battery Systems, said: “This is an exciting partnership for the development and production of battery packs for high performance electric vehicles. Our technology will help AEHRA achieve its goal of delivering super-efficient vehicles in the premium EV segment. In addition to these performance targets, we share a common desire to reduce the carbon footprint and improve recyclability of the battery system.”
Miba Battery Systems develops and produces its battery solutions currently at its VOLTfactory® #01 in Austria, and will also supply AEHRA the battery system with the FLEXcooler® , which Miba says is the most lightweight cooling system with outstanding performance available today.
Further VOLTfactory® sites by Miba Battery Systems will be opened soon to serve the local-to-local approach of international OEMs and meet the demand for customized premium battery solutions worldwide – following the global business approach of AEHRA.
More than a car battery: bi-directional charging
AEHRA’s bespoke battery technology solution will also provide significant benefits for customers when they are not driving, by offering holistic solutions for customers to support sustainable lifestyles.
“Our battery technology will include provisions to support bi-directional charging giving customers the ability to return electricity to the grid and power their homes,” continues Cimatti. “This will prove particularly useful to customers who power their homes using solar energy harvested from photovoltaic panels.
“Most home batteries are rated at 10 to 15kWh, which is fine in the summer months but can prove problematic during heavy winter snow falls when the photovoltaic panels become covered in snow and are temporarily unable to generate energy. But if you have a car sitting in your garage with a 100 to 120kWh battery, that energy can be utilized to power a home for up to ten times longer than a conventional house battery.”
Strategy and portfolio
The Italian-American company has been substantially self-funded so far, and is finalizing further investment. The brand unveiled its elegant SUV in October last year, and will follow with a sophisticated Sedan in June at the Milan Monza Motor Show. Deliveries are expected to start in late 2025. A strategic model roll out is planned for key markets, including North America, Europe, China, and the Gulf States.
