Are the batteries in this hypercar the future of electric vehicles?

The technology in EV batteries is developing rapidly. For starters, the cost of the same capacity today is about 10% of what it was a decade ago, and falling. But as price comes down and chemistry is adjusted to increase energy density and longevity, more radical design changes are on the horizon. The owner of a small, high-performance car specialist thinks his latest development could revolutionize the way batteries are managed.

The Palatov D8 will showcase important innovations in battery structure.

Palatov Motorsport LLC

Dennis Palatov, the driving force behind Palatov Motorsport LLC, has been building bespoke, track-focused, high-performance cars with a variety of engine types for well over a decade. But Palatov’s most recent standout vehicle was the D2EV in 2019, a monster electric vehicle developed in collaboration with Cascadia Motion to put 1,300 horsepower to the wheels. This vehicle can reach 120 mph in 5.2 seconds and was intended to conquer Pike’s Peak and then set a land speed record at Bonneville.

The Palatov D2EV is a racing special originally targeted at Pikes Peak and Bonneville.

Palatov Motorsport LLC

Since then, Palatov has continued to develop electric performance, and the latest incarnation is the forthcoming D8. Where the D2EV was a stripped down racing special, the D8 will be more of a street and track hybrid in the hypercar genre. Palatov is able to deliver the vehicle with a variety of powertrain options, but the all-electric version will be the most interesting as it will serve as a test bed for new innovations in battery management. It will also feature a unique implementation of NFT technology, which is currently trending in the art community.

Modular, serial batteries

While developing his electric powertrains, Palatov came up with some new ideas for battery pack design and subsequently formed a new company called Modular Battery Technologies Inc, or Modbatt for short. The basic idea is to rearrange the composition of cells and modules in a car’s battery system. Current designs connect cells in parallel within a module and then connect a number of those modules in series to get the required voltage for the overall system, either 400V or (more recently) 800V. The problem with this method is that the cells connected in parallel can only be monitored as an average, not individually. And if one shorts out, all the others deliver their full energy into the faulty cell with no current control.

Palatov’s idea and basis of the Modbatt technology (currently being patented) is that the batteries in the module are operated in series rather than in parallel to provide the required voltage from each module. Each already has 800V and is connected to the system via a relay so that if there is a fault they can be switched off and fully isolated. To make this possible, each individual cell has its own SmartCell monitoring of temperature and voltage that it can communicate up and down the chain to the module controller and then to the overall BMS. This surveillance chip can be added to a cell of any chemistry type for only 15c.

The D8’s battery packs give it a capacity of up to 60 kWh.

Palatov Motorsport LLC

Because battery management systems only have control power to shut down the entire pack, if a cell in a module fails, the vehicle may become inoperable. Modbatt’s system can instantly disconnect a faulty module and stop power to the faulty cell while all other modules continue to operate normally. It is also potentially much safer as the health of individual cells in the battery can be more accurately controlled and monitored.

The other advantage of this system is that since each module is already at the total system voltage, modules can be added in parallel as needed to achieve the required total kWh capacity. It’s even possible to mix modules with different chemistry in each pack, with maybe some that have better charge-discharge endurance for everyday use, alongside higher-density modules for longer rides. Or it could also be a more modular battery swap instead of having to swap out an entire package.

Enter the D8 – Electric Race Car or NFT Artwork?

Which brings us back to the D8 and how Palatov intends to network the Modbatt battery system with NFTs. The first thing to mention is that this car will be really fast. The all-wheel-drive electric motors will produce 900 horsepower, which isn’t quite as much as the Tesla Model S Plaid’s 1,000+ horsepower. But the D8 will weigh just 2,300 lbs (just over 1,000 kg), less than half that of a Tesla Model S. So Palatov expects to sprint to 60 mph in under 2 seconds and will push the car to a top speed of around 200 Set miles per hour.

Modbatt’s modular system means batteries can be quickly configured for capacities from 30kWh to 60kWh, although installing too few batteries will not deliver full engine performance, so 40kWh is the recommended minimum. The range will be up to 300 miles thanks to the car’s light weight. The D8 may be road legal depending on country or US state procedures, but is primarily aimed at track days where its full potential can be safely explored. It’s capable of half the downforce of a Formula 1 racer at 100mph and won’t even have aids like traction control or power steering. So it’s probably a raw but exhilarating driving experience best suited to those who really know how to handle a high-performance vehicle.

The D8 will have very few automatic driver aids.

Palatov Motorsport LLC

Modbatt’s technology also allows for remote control and authentication of batteries using blockchain technology and this is where the NFT aspect of the D8 comes into play. Batteries can be individually activated or deactivated remotely, and their blockchain ID allows their entire cell lifecycle to be tracked from manufacturing to recycling. For the D8, Palatov Motosport LLC takes advantage of this aspect to sell the limited edition of eight cars through auctions as mixed reality artworks, each with a unique NFT identifier. The virtual part of it will be a 3D rendered video clip of the car. The car itself is a physical expression of the NFT, with a serial number to match. The owner also gets up to eight private track days per year at Oregon Raceway Park, where the true capabilities of the D8 can be explored. Each car will cost around one million dollars.

The D8 is obviously a halo car for some very select buyers, but it shows how Modbatt’s technology could add useful features to EV batteries. The ability to make packs more modular and make management system monitoring more granular and detailed allows for much more accurate health assessment and maintenance. Blockchain capabilities will make it possible to remotely disable a car’s battery if it’s stolen, or pinpoint faults in the battery. Either way, it shows how rapidly battery technology is evolving as EVs take the auto market by storm.