Batteries are at the heart of every vehicle we produce. Range, charging speeds, durability, efficiency, and cost all come into play when we develop our battery systems. Xos batteries are specifically designed from the ground up to perform under the demands and rigors of commercial use. Our battery engineering team is always looking for the next opportunity to iterate and upgrade our battery designs to support the needs of our partners and customers.
That’s why today, we’re incredibly proud to unveil the Lyra Series™, our new battery system that includes two batteries: Lyra 30™ and Lyra 60™. The Lyra Series will be installed on every new Xos vehicle starting in Q4 of 2021.
The Lyra Series is a significant step forward in battery design for Xos and the industry as a whole. With this new battery system, we’ll be able to retrofit or upgrade existing batteries on current Xos vehicles on the road, offering more flexibility and efficiency with deployment.
The Lyra Series features a system-level 52% improvement in gravimetric energy density and a 45% improvement in volumetric energy density, offering a lighter overall pack that is more compact for the same, or more, net payload capability.
The Lyra battery system can be installed on any existing vehicle built with our proprietary modular chassis platform, the X-Platform. The Lyra Series is available in two sizes, Lyra 30 (29.4 kWh) and Lyra 60 (61.8 kWh), which offer 25 and 50 miles of range, respectively, on each vehicle. In addition, the battery packs can be combined to achieve a fleet’s necessary range.
Every battery pack features an integrated heat pump, capable of warming or cooling the battery as needed. Inside, heat is carried to or from cells by recirculated air cooling, enabling components to perform at optimal levels for longer without degrading. Using air as the cooling liquid for our batteries is an effective strategy. Air is economical, lightweight, easy to top up, and doesn’t corrode the battery components.
Each battery system has its own autonomous brain, called the battery management system or BMS. Each BMS is independent of the central vehicle brain, enabling continuous safety and lifespan support of each battery, whether the vehicle is active or not. For example, the battery on the side of the vehicle in the sun can take care of itself, and it can do it regardless of the actions of the other batteries located elsewhere. The BMS monitors charge levels, safety, temperatures, and performance. The BMS acts to manage the health, charging, use, and safety of the battery.
Learn more about our new battery series in the explanatory video below, where we break down some of the more technical aspects and features of the Lyra Series:
Considering the greater global context of the ongoing supply chain issues, which touch almost every industry, our proprietary battery design gives us greater adaptability and agility to respond to these challenges. We’re excited to take this momentous step forward in our battery offerings with the Lyra Series. We will continue to explore the opportunities to build the most reliable, durable batteries to meet our customers’ needs.