The American company UltraTRX, specialized in pedal assisted electric bicycles, presented the new lithium battery heating system called ThermoTRX; the system has been designed to allow those who want to use their e-bike all year round to do so without feeling the effects of the typical decrease in autonomy that can be seen on the batteries during the cold months. The problem, which afflicts electric cars in a particularly sensitive way, occurs in all cases in which a lithium battery is exposed to low temperatures and to avoid this it is necessary to heat the battery up to the optimal temperature.
For at the moment the system is only a concept and we are waiting for UltraTRX to create the first prototype, but the idea is already well outlined: thermal ribbons are run along the external part of the battery regulated by a thermostat, which activates them at the moment in which a temperature lower than 0°C is detected, or in any case low enough to affect autonomy, and on the contrary when the temperature rises the system switches off automatically. The system is powered by two button cells, typical of watches, which are able to perform their function more efficiently even at low temperatures.
UltraTRX continues its work of developing technologies dedicated to world of e-bikes, and in addition to the ThermoTRX system, the company has also recently unveiled GenerTRX, a system integrated into the braking system that allows you to accumulate more energy when braking, increasing autonomy by up to 50% if you mount it on both the wheels of the bicycle.
The road to maximum energy efficiency is still long and the development of these new technologies is a step in the right direction; whether we are talking about electric bicycles, cars or static energy accumulators, having more efficient batteries will bring great benefits to everyone.