WATTALPS’ innovative R&D has resulted in new market-leading immersion cooling technology that delivers increased lifespan and fast charging, and is certified to two industry safety standards.
As battery-powered machines become increasingly popular, driven by concerns about the future of the planet, WATTALPS has developed a groundbreaking new immersion cooling technology, which pushes the boundaries of classical lithium-ion batteries and has now been certified to two leading industry safety standards.
Environmental fears have fueled the electric battery market, with a significant challenge posed by the need to reduce the impact of heavy-duty machinery in particular. WATTALPS has invested 10 years of R&D in the development of its innovative immersion cooling system and has secured ISO 26262 and IEC 62619 certification for its technology, becoming the first company to meet both demanding industry standards with an immersion cooling battery.
Using know-how and expertise coming out of the CEA French research institute, WATTALPS has succeeded in improving the safety, performance and lifespan of lithium-ion batteries, expanding the potential for development of 100%-electric industrial machines. Indeed, scientific studies show a 25% increase in lifespan for immersion cooling versus other cooling technologies, the capacity to charge at twice the higher rates and a reduced risk of thermal runaway.
Immersion cooling is a very promising technology for batteries and a growing number of companies are investing in the technology for the electrification of high-end applications. An industrial start-up in the Auvergne Rhone Alpes Region, WATTALPS receives support from the French government and the European Commission and has been a pioneer in the market for more than a decade.
A proven technology that has passed the most rigorous tests
WATTALPS dedicated 2022 to the launch of the 3rd generation of its batteries, including pilot field trials with customers, a rigorous plan to test the batteries in an array of environmental and safety situations, mimicking potential scenarios in heavy duty and extreme applications (crash, crush, fire, immersion, vibration, shocks, corrosion, etc.). WATTALPS’ batteries passed all the exhaustive tests successfully, with batteries still functional after what should have been destructive tests.
World’s first immersion cooling battery to be certified according to ISO 26262 and IEC 62619
These impressive test results are now also confirmed by certification bodies. KIWA and TECRIS assessed WATTALPS’ product safety and both organizations confirmed its batteries comply with the IEC 62619 and ISO 26262 standards respectively. This is a world first for a battery system using immersion cooling technology and confirms that WATTALPS is a market leader in this technology.
- ISO 26262 is an automotive standard for the functional safety of electric and electronic components. For WATTALPS, it is confirmation of the high quality work done on the 5 year development of its Battery Management System (BMS). The BMS is the electronic brain of the battery and it ensures the battery remains within a safe operation zone. Over the course of 4 years, Bruno Majot of TECRIS assessed WATTALPS’ development processes and checked that all requirements of ISO 26262 were fulfilled by the team before this was confirmed in a final assessment in March 2023. Bruno Majot is a key contributor to the implementation of ISO 26262 standard in France and is a renowned and active member of SIA (French Society of Automotive Engineers).
- IEC 62619 is an industrial standard for lithium-ion battery safety. Certification body KIWA and WATTALPS worked together for almost a year to confirm that all the requirements of IEC 62619 were fulfilled by the WATTALPS’ modular battery system. The IEC 62619 standard requires a combination of safety tests to be passed and safety documentation to be provided to KIWA, one of five labs in Europe who can certify batteries according to the standard. IEC 62619 certification is used in the industrial equipment sector, including the material handling, energy storage and shipbuilding industries.
Commenting on safety certification success, Matthieu Desbois-Renaudin, CEO and Co-Founder at WATTALPS, says, “We are proud to have become the first company to achieve both ISO 26262 and IEC 62619 certification for our innovative immersion cooling battery technology. This is a real testament to the intensive R&D our team has carried out and our commitment to creating lithium-ion batteries that represent a step change in the development of 100% electric machines, delivering tangible benefits for the environment, OEMs and their customers. Our technology really held its own against a large selection of rigorous and intensive tests.”
WATTALPS’ modular battery system is easy to adapt to a range of applications and immersion cooling is the most efficient cooling technology for batteries. It is now available with confirmation that it meets key industry safety standards for all heavy duty applications, such as construction, mining, agriculture, trucks, shipbuilding, industrial vehicles and sportscars.
With an industrial site capable of producing up to 50 MWh per year (the equivalent of 2,000 batteries for 2.5t electric mini excavators each year), start-up WATTALPS has set a target to reach turnover of €66M in 5 years, and will shortly close a fundraising round that will enable it to meet rapidly growing customer demand.
