The first prototype of the Li-ion battery system that was specially developed for the UrbANT is going through its initial commissioning with the corresponding tests.

The highlights of the system are:

• 24 V / 70 Ah produce an energy content of 1.7 kWh, which are accommodated in a space of only 5.7 litres (volumetric energy density thus results to 310 Whl^-1); that became possible by using the high-performance cell INR-21700M50A from the manufacturer and Li-ion pioneer E-One Moli in the new 21700 design and by the clever use of the available space.
• Cutting-edge BMS (battery management system) in a decentralized design, consisting of an analog front end, high-performance controller and semiconductor switchgear.
• Industrial standard CANopen interface for secure communication and transmission of all relevant battery data with and to the vehicle control computer.

At the end of July this year, the Institute for Automotive Engineering (ika), together with the Institute for Management Cybernetics e. V. (IfU), tested different distances with which UrbANT can follow users in a recent study. 
Participants were invited to experience both distances and to evaluate them subjectively.

To launch the final year of the project, the UrbANT consortium met once again digitally together with the project management organization of the VDI | VDE-IT for a second consortium meeting. Jointly hosted by DITF and Innovationsmanufaktur, it gave all project partners the opportunity to present their interim results of the last few months and to jointly define the common goals for the remaining 12 months. With the completion and operational start-up of our three vehicles in the course of this summer, we are looking forward to the next big milestone!

In order to find answers to the urban challenges of a digital future, the city of Aachen opened, together with the Chair of Information Management in Mechanical Engineering (IMA), cowork AG and dialego AG, the OecherLab in the Kapuziner Karree at the Alter Posthof. Under the slogan "Come in, experience and #join in!", Aachen residents, innovation drivers, business, city administration and politics will have a central meeting place for science and urban society. The OecherLab invites all citizens to get to know innovative concepts and prototypes in the field of digitalization and to collaborate on innovative solutions.