An interview with Speedinvest: How Breathe is making batteries better
Building the Batteries of the Future: A Look Inside Breathe Battery Technologies
The world is on the cusp of a major transformation, and at the heart of it all is the battery industry. At Breathe Battery Technologies, we believe that the future of transportation and consumer electronics depends on pushing past the limitations of today's batteries. Our co-founders, Dr Ian Campbell and Dr Yan Zhao, recently took a behind-the-scenes look at our London headquarters with SpeedInvest to show how we’re building the batteries of the future.
The Problem with Today's Batteries
As our CEO Dr Ian Campbell explains, for too long, batteries have been a "black box," controlled in a simplistic and outdated manner. This has left a significant amount of performance on the table, leading to frustrating realities for end-users: slow charging, limited lifespan, and the creation of electronic waste.
Unlocking Performance with Software-Defined Batteries
Our revolutionary approach is to define batteries through software. This allows us to see what's happening inside the battery, which is something traditional physical sensors for voltage, temperature, and current simply can't do. Our product portfolio, including Breathe Model, Breathe Design and Breathe Charge, is designed to unlock this hidden potential. We can almost overnight achieve up to 30% faster charging using just a piece of firmware and software installed on an existing battery management system.
Durability and Longevity: Testing the Future
Our CTO, Dr Yan Zhao, showcased the lab where we test battery cells 24/7. We're not just testing how our software works when a battery is new, but proving its durability throughout its entire life. In our labs, we simulate a whole 10 years of vehicle life or four years of a phone's life inside these boxes to ensure our software delivers long-lasting performance.
Real-World Impact: The Volvo Partnership
A fantastic example of the impact our technology can have is our partnership with Volvo Cars. Volvo is now adopting our fast-charging product, Breathe Charge, for their next-generation electric car platform. This transition to a software-defined era for batteries will yield a level of performance and user experience that we've never seen before, all while contributing to a cleaner, quieter, and more sustainable world.
A Vision for a Cleaner World
For our team, this work is about more than just technology. It's about creating a better world. Dr Yan Zhao envisions a future where every vehicle is electric, with no emissions or noise. This core vision of a cleaner world is what drives our entire team every day. By making battery systems better, we're helping to create long-lasting, durable devices and cleaner transportation for everyone.
INTERVIEW