Israeli start-up ETV Motors has received a funding boost as it works on a range-extended electric vehicle technology that uses a new, high-voltage lithium-ion battery chemistry and a dual power micro turbine.

The company has closed a US$12million Series A investment round led by The Querces Trust of Newport Beach, California, which will enable it to move ahead with a multi-year research and development programme.

According to Dror Ben David, the chief executive of ETVM, the micro-turbine on-board charger along with the 4.7 lithium-ion cathode chemistry will help facilitate the coming generations of lightweight electric vehicles.

The microturbine has the unique property of achieving optimum efficiency at two operating points which provides a number of degrees of freedom. On the battery side, the company is collaborating with the electro-chemistry team at Bar Ilan University with a 4.7 lithium manganese nickel oxide cathode that overcomes the problems with high voltage spinel materials such as oxidation of the electrolyte solvent and dissolution of metal ions in the cathode. 

The range extended electric vehicle is based on a modified Prius and will serve as a test for the company’s ongoing development work.