Ex-Aston Martin CEO Palmer joins British battery sensor maker Brill
15/08/2023 24:01
By Nick Carey
LONDON, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Former Aston Martin CEO Andy
Palmer has joined Brill Power as chairman to help the British
battery sensor maker build its business with major automakers
and the energy storage industry, the company said on Tuesday.
Brill Power is a spin-out from Oxford University and has
developed sensors that can monitor and manage individual cells
in electric vehicle (EV) battery packs.
This overcomes a core problem for EVs, where performance is
determined by the weakest cell in any battery pack, and can
extend a battery pack's range and life by 60%, Palmer said.
The technology can also be used to determine a used EV
battery's health and allow prospective buyers to judge how long
the vehicle might realistically last, Palmer told Reuters.
Brill Power's technology is currently in tests in one
upcoming electric model that could be on the road in two years
and the company is talking to a number of automakers about a
range of affordable EVs and high-performance models.
"The goal here is basically to take this group of very smart
individuals and give them a little bit of guidance in the
commercial world," Palmer said of his new role at Brill Power,
which raised $10.5 million last year to scale up its operations.
Palmer, who oversaw the launch of the Leaf EV over a decade
ago while chief operating officer at Nissan 7201.T , is also
currently interim CEO at British EV charger company Pod Point
PODP.L and chairman of Slovak battery startup Inobat.
(Reporting by Nick Carey; Editing by Alexander Smith)
((nick.carey@thomsonreuters.com; +44 7385 414 954;))