Power X-Change - Episode 6: Multi-Ah Technologie (mit Dr. Markus Thannhuber)

Welcome to Power X-Change Episode 6 here from the new Einhell World in Landau an der Isar. In this video I would like to introduce our latest development in the battery area: the 4 Ah and 6 Ah Power X-Change Plus Multi-Ah Packs. A new innovative battery pack concept. My name is Dr. Markus Thannhuber. I am responsible for the departments of technology, development, production and quality here at the company.

A new Power X-Change Plus pack generation: What's inside and what makes it special? First of all, ten cells of the new cell format 21700 for Power X-Change, with new cell chemistry optimally tailored to the Power Garden and Power Tool world. And that in combination with our latest Active Battery Management System and all the familiar features that we generally install in all our Power X-Change batteries. First and foremost, of course, with the two active switching elements, the FETs, with which the pack can safely disconnect the main current path at any time during operation but also during transport and storage, entirely self-determined. It is a new Power X-Change Plus generation for the extra portion of power and especially a lot of power with an output of up to 1350 watts. New: It now has a display and can therefore precisely indicate the state of charge, for example. In addition, the pack shows its capacity here.

What is special about our new batteries? Strictly speaking, I am introducing two batteries to you: a 4 ampere-hour battery and a 6 ampere-hour battery. What is the difference? With the 6 Ah battery you can work longer, drive more screws or mow a larger area than with the 4 Ah battery pack, since more ampere-hours promise a longer runtime. The 4 Ah battery pack, on the other hand, treats the cells particularly gently and thus achieves a very high cycle performance and thus longevity of the pack, namely up to 3 times the cycle performance of conventional packs.

How is this achieved? Imagine we were to store the energy in the pack not in electrochemistry but in a rubber band. This rubber band has a permissible maximum stretch. To store the maximum energy in the band and then retrieve it, figuratively speaking we would always stretch the rubber band to its maximum stretch, secured by a battery management system - here the two packs on the left and right - and then relax it again. Lots of power and performance, and that for a cycle time typical for rubber bands. If we reduce the usable stretch through the battery management system, we can store somewhat less energy, but the rubber band can be cycled, i.e. charged and discharged, far more often before it wears out. You also know this from other applications: Internal combustion engines, for example, are tuned either for maximum power and speed in a sports car or for smooth running and mileage in a mid-range car, through the implemented engine management, compression or turbocharging.

In lithium-ion battery systems, the design of the pack and the battery management system determines power, energy content, and cycle life by correctly adjusting the settings of many parameters. In many competitive products, the battery management is partly taken over by the devices, and the batteries are thus only operated in a defined manner regarding power and energy content through interaction with the devices. Many packs do not have their own active switching elements and are unprotected during storage and transport and, strictly speaking, are not defined in capacity and performance. The Active Battery Management Systems of the Power X-Change family are able to independently ensure capacity and power limits at all times via their own FETs. Thus, we offer you a 4 Ah pack with a coordinated battery management system, high cycle performance, full certification for transport and storage. Also a 6 Ah pack, also with a coordinated BMS, high capacity and also full certification. The heart is the Einhell Active Battery Management System ABS and our new 21700 cells, which are tested and qualified for both cycle programs. And now comes the key part...

The special feature of the two products is not that you decide at the time of purchase which pack you want, but the special thing is that the two products can be converted into one another by you. You buy one product and essentially hold two in your hands. That is why they are called Power X-Change Plus Multi-Ah batteries. How does it work? Basically, just like you might know from operating systems on your computer, when you switch from Home to Professional or similar, namely by entering a key. This causes the firmware parametrization of the pack to be swapped. With the pack you receive instructions on how to switch between the two products by key entry. Don't worry, you don't have to pay extra for the key. Why do you need a key? Due to their energy content, both packs fall under different normative regulatory areas. Therefore, we want to ensure that the user makes the change consciously and that it does not happen accidentally. After a change from a 4 Ah pack to a 6 Ah pack, for example, it must be transported or stored differently commercially.

How does the key work? You receive simple instructions with the pack. I can promise you it is safe but still very simple. Let us briefly show how this works. Now the firmware parametrization has been swapped. The pack now has 6 ampere-hours and an energy content of 108 watt-hours. Through the digital display, the pack confirms the change and shows which pack it is now.

Now see for yourselves our Multi-Ah Packs. Whether as a 6 Ah pack, which offers 50 percent more working time compared to the 4 Ah pack, or as a 4 Ah pack, which offers you triple cycle performance and thus service life: Both deliver up to a whopping 1350 watts and thus guarantee a lot of fun while working. Further information about our new Multi-Ah battery and our Power X-Change platform is available on our website and on social media channels. See you in the next Power X-Change episode! Many thanks!