Quantino Electric Flow Vehicle Covers 350,000 km
Last week the Swiss company nanoFlowcell revealed that it has covered 350,000 km in its Quantino 48 Volt test car. Road testing comprised 200,000 km with the balance done on a test bed.
The power source for the car is flow batteries that utilize proprietary chemical ingredients. They are safer and better for the environment than conventional lithium batteries according to the company.
Flow batteries use tanks of external electrolytes pumped over stationary electrodes. Accordingly, the range is dependent on the size of the fluid tanks. Flow batteries are typically used in stationary applications as power output can be a challenge.
The Quantino test car uses a 48-volt electrical system that achieved 200 to 250 miles per gallon equivalent according to the company. It also says its nanoFlowcell costs about $672 to build, a fraction of an EV battery. The Quantino covered the mileage with regular maintenance, such as brakes, and no failures of the electrolyte system or the drivetrain. Further updates on the technology are slated for later this year.