Kiwi inventor designs super-fast battery
A Kiwi inventor has developed a rechargeable battery claimed to charge eight-times faster than its rivals and last three-times longer.
Volt Technology managing director Andrew Wigney is in Las Vegas attending the Consumer Electronics Show 2016, promoting Boost FP – a 1.5-volt rechargeable battery he has been developing over the past 18 months.
When used in a torch, AA and AAA Boost FP batteries lasted about five-times longer than disposable batteries and up to threetimes longer than rechargeables.
Wigney said he was yet to find a device where Boost FP batteries did not outlast other batteries.
Boost FP batteries could be reused up to 1000 times and took just two hours to recharge – up to eight-times faster than a regular rechargeable.
Wigney said
he
wanted
to develop a longer-lasting battery because he was frustrated with existing battery technology and felt there had to be a better way to get more power out of rechargeables.
The technology which went into making Boost FP batteries was confidential, he said.
‘‘We’re trying not to release too much of our secret sauce at the moment.’’
The batteries were yet to be commercially manufactured but Wigney was exploring manufacturing locations in Southeast Asia and the United States.
‘‘If we can manufacture somewhere in the US it’s a lot more attractive to the US customers and it should give us higher sales.’’
Each battery would retail for between $10 to $15, he said.
He was hoping to sell or license the intellectual property used in Boost FP to a large company such as Duracell or Energizer.
‘‘We don’t want to be manufacturing batteries in five years, we’d much rather have someone do it for us.’’
AA and AAA battery usage was reducing but there were still many products that required batteries.
‘‘AA and AAA batteries will eventually die out but that will be 10 years-plus down the track.’’
Boost FP batteries would help the environment by reducing both the number of disposable batteries going to landfills and the manufacturing and distribution waste created from producing new ones.
‘‘There’s a lot that goes into getting a single-use battery into the store.’’
Volt Technology had already raised $100,000 of a $300,000 capital raising and was also planning to launch a Kickstarter campaign with a goal of raising an additional $100,000 to build 20,000 batteries.
Volt Technology also had assistance from government agency Callaghan Innovation through its startup grants scheme.
Callaghan Innovation sensing and robotics national network manager Andrew Dawson said the batteries could have a huge global impact.
‘‘If it takes off how we hope and think it could go the change could be significant,’’ he said.