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The ECC ev’ie is a Citroën C1 with an aftermarket conversion to turn it into an electric car, and it’s about to get an increased range with a new high capacity battery.
The C1 ev’ie is the first mainstream production car to be available as an electric car , and although it’s a good product, with a top speed of 60mph, the range is low, at around only 60-70 miles.
A new high capacity battery will be developed for the C1 ev’ie by Axeon, whose current products have a range of up to 140 miles from a single charge.
The Electric Car Corporation (ECC) C1 ev’ie costs from £18,550 at the moment, more than twice the price of the petrol C1, so it will be interesting to see if a new battery pushes this price up further.
Axeon, based in Dundee, is Europe’s largest independent lithium-ion battery systems supplier , and the company is planning to supply between 300 and 500 batteries in the 12 months following a successful trial.
Axeon will provide a pre-production battery pack that combines an advanced battery with an energy density of 230Wh/kg and innovative mechanical design, meaning not only improved battery efficiency, but also improved performance and extended range in a smaller, lighter and less rigid package.
Key to the package will be Axeon’s proprietary battery management system, which plays an essential role in any multiple cell battery pack. It monitors the state of a battery, measuring and controlling key performance parameters, which ensures the battery operates safely and prolongs its useful life.
