A Taiwanese developer of modular electric powertrains that has devised a novel way to cool batteries has turned its attention to an iconic American muscle car, converting a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro into a fully electric vehicle. EE Times first reported on Xing Mobility’s conversion, which was on display at AutoTronics Taipei.
It brings to mind rock legend Neil Young’s troubled “Lincvolt” conversion of a 1959 Lincoln Continental Mark IV convertible into a plug-in hybrid that runs on E85. But the attention in this case is less on the conversion of the Camaro, its capabilities or specs than on Xing’s technology, which it says allows any vehicle to be converted into a battery-electric vehicle without need of a devoted EV platform or other extensive modifications. Xing (pronounced Zing) reportedly replaced the Camaro’s combustion engine with a battery pack made of 106 modules, all fitting in the available space in the engine compartment.
The real novelty is Xing’s solution for thermal management inside the pack. It’s found a way to immerse the cells in a non-conductive cooling fluid from 3M called Novec that has been used for years in fire extinguishers. The company claims the technology helps improve heat transfer and uniformity of cell temperatures, allowing cells to charge more quickly, last longer and generate higher power. The waterless solution also means the battery pack is less prone to catching fire, immediately dissipating heat from thermal runaway or damage to the cells or pack.
CEO and co-founder Royce Hong tells EE Times the immersion cooling system has been used to cool servers at data centers run by the likes of Google and Facebook, and equipment running bitcoins and gaming systems. The company has also designed its battery pack like a Lego system that can be stacked and interlocked to accommodate different kinds of vehicles.
But Xing has also developed two prototype vehicles: the 1-megawatt (1,341 horsepower) Miss R electric supercar prototype, which it says is capable of going off-road and has a touted 1.8-second 0-62 mph launch time; and the Miss E race car, which has a 350-kilowatt electric motor and uses the immersion cooling system. We look forward to hearing more from the company.
