Could the secret to Apple's electric cars be hollow batteries?

By Lulu Chang Published August 11, 2016

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There’s not much known about Apple’s mysterious Project Titan, the iEmpire’s alleged electric car endeavor, but we may have just stumbled across some new information. According to South Korean outlet ETNews, Apple may be working with an as of yet unidentified Korean battery company to develop hollow batteries for its futuristic automobiles. The 20 or so members of the Korean company (which has apparently signed a non-disclosure agreement with Apple), are said to be “expert technologists in batteries,” and therefore well-suited to develop cylindrical lithium-ion secondary batteries with hollow centers.

As ETNews reports, the invention of hollow batteries could signal a major step forward in electric vehicle technology because today’s dense batteries “create most heat from the center due to chemical reactions.” But with a hollow battery, “air flow and cooling are smooth in the center [which] can minimize installation of separate cooling device[s] or a device that prevents over-heating.” Moreover, a hollow battery makes it easier for engineers to design parallel connections, the Korean outlet claims, which can in turn expand battery capacity and lead to higher output.

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That said, a high-ranking official from the company noted, “Because we made an NDA with Apple, we cannot discuss any information regarding this project.” So any further details about these hollow batteries and Project Titan may be difficult to come by.

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According to MacRumors, however, a European Patent Office patent application reveals that Korean firm Orange Power looks to be investigating a hollow type secondary battery. Furthermore, Orange Power’s website suggests that it has 25 employees in R&D and eight in other roles, for a grand total of 33 employees, which seems to fit the bill of Apple’s anonymous partner. And while this is purely speculative, it can be fun to play a guessing game every once in awhile.

So sit tight, friends. Apple may be notoriously tight-lipped about its pipeline, but maybe this time, the firm will give us a break and let us in on its secret a bit early.

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