Enovix Corporation, leader in the design and manufacture of next generation 3D Silicon™ Lithium-ion batteries, has announced that it has been awarded a follow-on contract to build and test custom cells for use within U.S. Army soldiers’ central power source, called the Conformal Wearable Battery (CWB). Created by Inventus Power, the CWB integrates into a soldier’s vest and powers vital communications and navigation equipment.
The goal of this project is to evaluate the performance and safety of Enovix 3D Silicon Li-ion cell technology and assess its alignment to the CWB. This effort is awarded under GTS’ prime contract W56KGU-18-C-0025 and follows the initial demonstration phases for the U.S. Army’s Center’s DOTC-17-01-INIT1218 Advanced Power Systems Technologies with the Department of Defense, which was announced last year. It was awarded in conjunction with Inventus Power, a leading provider of advanced battery and power systems that specializes in the design and manufacture of lithium-ion battery packs for both military and commercial applications. Enovix expects to begin shipping first cells to Inventus Power in 2023.
“We’re proud to move to the next stage of our work with Inventus Power on the U.S. Army program, a major milestone attributed to our breakthrough battery and its ability to provide high energy density in a safe, ruggedized and lightweight format,” said Harrold Rust, Co-Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of Enovix. “Soldiers in the field need reliable, lightweight and long-lasting batteries and we’re thrilled Enovix has been chosen to demonstrate the advantages of our domestically-manufactured technology.”
“Safety is a top priority at Inventus Power and when we tested the Enovix battery cells with its BrakeFlow technology, the results were impressive,” said Chris Turner, CTO of Inventus Power. “Enovix batteries are the only next-gen, high energy density cells to pass our nail penetration test. We look forward to collaborating with the company on this program, to provide an even more resilient, high-energy battery to the U.S. Army.”
The Enovix cell has the potential to nearly double the energy density of the current CWB, which could result in substantial operational advantages including a longer lasting battery. Another key advantage for the Army is BrakeFlow™ technology, a breakthrough in battery safety, made possible due to the company’s unique battery architecture.
