In a big step for the company, Bollinger Motors has revealed that it has formally filed a patent with the United States Patent and Trade Mark Office this week, which is a very promising sign for the company not only in its growth, but also in its goal towards producing all electric vehicles.
The patent in question covers the firm’s production battery design, with the documents including numerous mechanical, electrical, and systems innovations centered around the battery packs that will be powering some of the company’s EV offerings including its pickup and SUV off-road models.
“The heart of every EV is the battery, so it was crucial for us to develop our own battery pack in-house,” said CEO Robert Bollinger. “Our engineering team has created a pack with high-strength structural properties, exemplary cooling features and state-of-the-art software.”
The Bollinger Motors battery pack aims to bring ample electric power in a relatively compact unit, and it is made up of numerous modules that are linked in 35 kWh strings that can be connected either in a series or parallel configuration to help create a wide range of battery configurations and sizes. This is big for the company, since this means that it will not need to rely on outside vendors for the batteries, and in turn will allow the company to have a true in house capability for producing its vehicles through out the production process. The batteries will be primarily used for the company’s vehicle lineup, but will also be available as stand alone components for certain applications.
“We really wanted to have the knowledge that goes into battery packs in-house,” Bollinger CEO Robert Bollinger said. “We could pay a lot of money to buy them from someone else, but this is a journey we wanted to have of growing and learning with the battery world. We think that is valuable for an EV company.”
This latest battery pack is a step in the right direction for Bollinger, with the pack being the third version created by the company since the firm was first formed over five years ago. The modules (which are supplied by outside vendors) are mounted in pack form under the vehicle, with an I-beam providing the necessary structural support. This beam also contains specially designed channels for coolant to flow through which helps keep the modules cool on both sides. This ingenious setup also allowed Bollinger to rework the way they housed the radiators for the system. Before, they were both mounted behind the headlights, but with this new setup, the lone radiator can now be mounted behind the bumper.
“It frees up a lot of space in those two fender areas to hold more of the other components we needed,” Bollinger said. “It also allows for a big ‘frunk’ space so that storage is at maximum size for a passenger to use.”
Bollinger Motors revealed that it will begin producing the battery packs sometime in 2021, with the first units being reserved for their lineup of vehicles. However, as mentioned, the company will also make standalone units for other ventures once it has a chance to fine tune and perfect the production process. This opens up a wider range of possibilities for Bollinger, and that in turn can mean additional revenue streams for the young company. Imagine heavy duty equipment being powered by these battery packs, or the packs potentially being used in other types of industrial applications. If Bollinger can get all the pieces to mesh correctly, it could lead towards very exciting things, including new opportunities to build viable business relationships with prominent commercial clients.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.