Maxwell Introduces New 48-Volt Ultracapacitor Module Based on MC2600

26 September 2005

48-volt Ultracap Module

Maxwell Technologies has unveiled a compact, fully integrated, 48-volt multi-cell BOOSTCAP ultracapacitor module for heavy-duty transportation and industrial energy storage and power delivery applications.

The new BMOD2600-48 module consists of 18 2.7-volt BOOSTCAP MC2600 cells. The MC 2600 cell, introduced earlier this year (earlier post) provides increased energy storage and power delivery per unit volume and double the lifecycle of its earlier products.

In addition to meeting or exceeding demanding transportation and industrial application requirements for both watt-hours of energy storage and watts of power delivery per kilogram, these products will perform reliably for more than one million discharge-recharge cycles.

The proprietary material science on which they are based also significantly reduces manufacturing cost, positioning Maxwell to achieve our stated goal of pricing large cell ultracapacitors at one cent per farad in multi-million-cell annual volumes.

—Richard Smith, executive vice president for strategic business development

The 48-volt modules have undergone several months of testing and evaluation by selected customers, including ISE, a San Diego-based integrator of hybrid-electric drive trains for buses and other heavy vehicles.

The BMOD2600-48 modules are encased in a rugged, splash-proof, aluminum chassis. They weigh 13.5 kg and are 13.4 liters in volume (420mm L/200mmT/160mm W). The modules include temperature and voltage monitoring and internal cell balancing that give designers plug-and-play solutions, plus module-to-module balancing that makes them versatile building blocks for systems with higher voltage requirements. They are priced at $1,900 each in low volume and $1,077 in mid-range volume.

In March, Maxwell won a next-generation ultracapacitor cell and module development contract from the United States Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC). Under that contract, Maxwell is eligible to receive more than $3 million in matching funds from DOE through the FreedomCAR initiative. (Earlier post)

As part of the USABC contract, Maxwell’s MC2600 cells and 48-volt modules are undergoing testing for energy capacity, pulse power, abuse tolerance, calendar life and cycle life at DOE’s Sandia and Idaho national laboratories.