Battery manufacturer VARTA has partnered with Breathe Battery Technologies (BBT), which develops battery enhancement software, to cut the charging time of VARTA’s Easy Blade batteries and increase the amount of energy that can be stored in the cells.

BBT’s Breathe Charge charging software has been applied to the lithium-ion based VARTA Easy Blade 48 V battery, which is used primarily in small and medium-sized vehicles such as AGVs and forklifts.  The software reduces the battery’s charging time to 80% SOC by 27%, saving 23 minutes over the previous time, and makes it possible to store 3% more energy in the cells.

Battery lifetime is unaffected, and the software can be applied to all versions of the Easy Blade series.

The charging results using Breathe Charge are:

• Easy Blade charging time to 50% SOC reduced by 43%
• Easy Blade charging time reduced to 80% SOC by 27%  
• Easy Blade charging time to 100% SOC reduced by 16%

BBT and VARTA now want to expand their partnership and explore opportunities for the wider uptake of the fast-charging technologies.