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Echion’s novel XNO® anode material has been identified for its unique ability to sustain symmetric high-rate charge and discharge, which is critical to efficient AI data centre operation where power demand from training workloads can cause megawatt-scale power swings almost instantaneously. Endurance is equally critical, with buffering duty in AI data centres demanding up to 10,000 equivalent full cycles per year – a load XNO® is engineered to absorb without trading away intrinsic safety.
VaultX will integrate XNO® cells into Proper Voltage’s existing Vault architecture, shortening the path to deployment and significantly advancing the speed at which data centre operators can benefit from XNO®’s unique capabilities. It will deliver next-generation UPS with 1.6MW of power, 84kWh capacity, and 480V or 800V rack configurations. Both companies will be jointly presenting on VaultX at the 2026 OCP Global Summit on 12-15 October.
Jean de La Verpilliere, CEO of Echion, said: “AI data centres need exactly what XNO® was built for, which is extremely high charge and discharge rates sustained across tens of thousands of cycles. Our materials and cells are built for duty cycles that aren’t survivable for conventional chemistries and collaborating with Proper Voltage enables us to implement these capabilities in a market-leading UPS platform and ensure that operators can benefit from VaultX in the shortest possible amount of time.
“Conventional chemistries can deliver serviceable discharge but cannot safely handle the continuous and instantaneous high-C-rate charging that AI data centres require. XNO® addresses this. Operators will soon be able to incorporate a single system that serves both the backup mission and continuous load buffering. I look forward to working with Proper Voltage to launch what has the potential to be a step-change product to the market.”
Charlie Welch, CEO of Proper Voltage, said: “Our architecture was purposely designed so that operators can adopt new and emerging battery technology without redesigning their power systems, which is why integrating XNO® into our Vault architecture is straightforward. What this system changes for an operator is the business case. A UPS that also buffers load stops being an asset that sits idle between outages and starts earning its footprint every day. We recognise the impact that XNO® can have on data centre operations and its symmetric power capabilities fundamentally change what a data-centre UPS can do to support emerging GPUs and ease the stress placed on upstream grid infrastructure. It’s exciting to be moving into the next phase of a project with this much potential to shape AI infrastructure.”
XNO® is a patented niobium-based anode chemistry that enables lithium-ion batteries to safely charge or discharge in 3-6 minutes across more than 50,000 cycles (at 5C,10-90% state of charge (SoC)). It has been engineered for the highest productivity and lowest total cost of ownership in AI data centre energy storage, as well as electrified heavy-duty industrial, commercial and mass-transport applications.
Proper Voltage develops control and integration technology that decouples battery chemistry from voltage constraints. Its Vault architecture actively regulates voltage across the full state of charge, allowing advanced batteries to operate reliably inside real-world power systems without redesigning those systems or compromising uptime. That enables XNO® to perform at its peak within existing data centre infrastructure, allowing both brownfield and greenfield AI facilities to deploy load buffering and outage bridging UPS and Sidecar solutions.

Echion and Proper Voltage to co-develop 1.6MW AI-optimized UPS Backup System

Industry

Spotlight

Enabling Chemistry-Agnostic Power Systems at Proper Voltage with Altium

How to Overcome the Hidden Holdup of the Battery Revolution

Battery safety is about mitigating a range of potential issues&mdash;from dendrite formation and cell-to-cell variability to quality control, embedded software challenges, and even user error. Each factor plays a critical role in keeping batteries safe under all conditions.
A major contributor to battery fires is dendrite formation. In many conventional lithium-ion batteries, these tiny needle-like structures create internal short circuits that lead to overheating and, ultimately, fires. In contrast, lithium-titanate oxide (LTO) batteries are engineered with a unique crystal structure that prevents dendrite growth, making them virtually immune to the failures that can ignite a fire.

At Proper Voltage, we recognize that while LTO offers significant fire safety advantages, it is just one of many chemistries suited for different products. Our universal approach means our Battery Operating System works with any battery chemistry to keep them safe. Even if a particular chemistry does not naturally prevent issues like dendrite formation, our system actively monitors voltage and temperature in real time and adjusts charging conditions to prevent overcharge and other risks.
The Gdansk fire, along with similar incidents, underscores why proactive battery management is essential. By combining the inherent safety features of chemistries like LTO with intelligent control systems, we can drastically reduce the risk of dangerous incidents. At Proper Voltage, we deliver solutions that adapt to any battery chemistry while keeping safety at the forefront. The lessons from Gdansk remind us that intelligent management is key to protecting both people and property in our battery-powered world.

The Gdansk Fire: Another Wake-Up Call for Intelligent Battery Management

<h3>The Problem: Voltage Drop Limits Usable Battery Life</h3>
Traditional battery systems experience voltage sag as they discharge, causing devices to slow down, lose efficiency, or even shut down before the battery is technically empty. This creates waste across multiple industries:
<ul>
<li>Automation &amp; Robotics - Voltage sag reduces motor speed, torque, and sensor accuracy, leading to performance drops before the battery is fully discharged.</li>
<li>Industrial Equipment &amp; Forklifts - Machines slow down in the last 25% of charge, making that portion of battery life unusable for full-load operations.</li>
<li>Electric Vehicles &amp; E-Bikes - Acceleration and power output weaken as charge declines, limiting real-world range.</li>
<li>Medical &amp; Critical Systems - Voltage fluctuations can introduce reliability risks in life-saving applications.</li>
</ul>
To compensate, manufacturers and operators oversize battery packs, swap batteries early, or accept performance degradation, all of which increase costs, weight, and inefficiency.

<h3>Voltage Drop: The Hidden Problem in Traditional Batteries</h3>
This graph shows how voltage declines as a battery discharges under different load conditions (C-rates).
<ul>
<li>The higher the C-rate (2.0C, 1.0C, etc.), the steeper the voltage drop, meaning high-power applications experience performance loss much earlier in the battery cycle.</li>
<li>The purple zone represents usable power, where devices operate at full performance.</li>
<li>The red zone shows where voltage sag makes power delivery insufficient for full operation, rendering that portion of charge effectively unusable.</li>
<li>Forklifts, robotics, and other high-load systems require stable voltage to function properly, but traditional battery systems force early shutdowns or slowdowns as voltage declines.</li>
</ul>
This means companies are forced to swap batteries early, oversize packs, or deal with declining performance, all of which add cost, weight, and inefficiency.
<h3>The Solution: Stable Power Delivery</h3>
Proper Voltage's programmable power output, enabled by its Voltage Adapter (VA) within bOS, ensures a battery maintains its optimal voltage and full power output until completely depleted. Proper Voltage&rsquo;s technology prevents the so-called voltage drop or sag, ensuring stable power output until the battery is fully discharged. This eliminates voltage sag, allowing consistent performance across 100% of the battery's usable capacity.
<h3>Key Benefits</h3>
<ul>
<li>Maximized Usable Battery Life &ndash; The final 25% of charge is just as effective as the first, eliminating early battery swaps.</li>
<li>Optimized Performance at Every Charge Level &ndash; Devices operate at peak efficiency, from 100% to 0% charge.</li>
<li>Right-Sized Battery Packs &ndash; No need to oversize batteries to compensate for voltage drop.</li>
<li>Programmable Power Delivery &ndash; Customizable voltage profiles allow tailored performance for each application.</li>
<li>Extended Equipment Lifespan &ndash; Full, consistent power reduces wear and tear on motors and electronics.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Industry Applications</h3>
<ol>
<li>Robotics &amp; AI-Driven Automation
<ul>
<li>The problem: Voltage sag reduces motor efficiency and response times, leading to inconsistent performance after going below 50% battery life.</li>
<li>The solution: Humanoid robots and automation systems maintain precise, uninterrupted power delivery from full charge to 0%, improving stability and accuracy.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Industrial Equipment &amp; Forklifts
<ul>
<li>The problem: Forklifts and warehouse automation slow down as charge depletes, making the final 25% of battery life functionally useless for full-load operations.</li>
<li>The solution: Proper Voltage's constant power output enables forklifts to lift, transport, and accelerate at full capacity until the battery is actually empty, eliminating premature battery swaps and downtime.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Electric Vehicles, E-Bikes &amp; Micro-Mobility
<ul>
<li>The problem: Traditional EV batteries experience power loss at lower charge levels, affecting acceleration and range.</li>
<li>The solution: Proper Voltage ensures torque and speed remain constant, enabling full performance throughout the entire battery cycle.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Power Tools &amp; Construction Equipment
<ul>
<li>The problem: Cordless tools lose effectiveness as battery voltage drops, leading to inconsistent cutting, drilling, or fastening power.</li>
<li>The solution: A saw won't slow mid-cut, and a drill maintains full torque until the battery is fully discharged.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Medical &amp; Emergency Systems
<ul>
<li>The problem: Fluctuating battery voltage can introduce risks in life-critical devices like ventilators or portable surgical tools.</li>
<li>The solution: Proper Voltage provides steady, reliable power output, reducing variability in medical applications.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ol>
<h3>Beyond Stable Power: The Programmable Future</h3>
What makes Proper Voltage's solution truly groundbreaking is not just stable power delivery, but programmability.
<ul>
<li>Adaptive Power Profiles - Adjust power output based on system needs in real-time.</li>
<li>Smart Load Balancing - Extend battery life and optimize energy usage dynamically.</li>
<li>Future-Proof Design - Works across all chemistries (LTO, NMC, LFP, Sodium-Ion, etc.) and adapts to new ones.</li>
</ul>
By enabling software-defined power management, products can now be designed around operational needs, rather than constrained by battery limitations.
<h3>Conclusion: Enabling a New Era of Energy Freedom</h3>
Proper Voltage's stable power delivery and programmable voltage control redefine what's possible in battery technology.
<ul>
<li>No more wasted battery life due to voltage sag.</li>
<li>No more oversizing packs to compensate for declining performance.</li>
<li>No more swapping batteries early due to power loss.</li>
</ul>
For forklifts, robotics, EVs, and mission-critical systems, the ability to use 100% of a battery's charge at full performance is a game-changer.
With Proper Voltage, batteries finally work for the full duration of their charge, unlocking the true potential of electrified industries.

Unlocking the Full Potential of Batteries: The Power of Programmable Constant Output

Solving the Roadblocks to Energy Transition 

This e-bike battery can charge in 10 minutes—and won’t catch on fire

Client News

Proper Voltage&rsquo;s Battery Operating System (bOS) acts as a universal adapter, seamlessly integrating Toshiba&rsquo;s Battery SCiB&trade; Lithium Titanium Oxide (LTO) chemistry and other advanced battery chemistries into various applications by precisely tailoring diverse voltage and power requirements. (Graphic: Business Wire)

In a strategic move to harness the exceptional properties of advanced battery chemistries, Proper Voltage has expanded their collaboration with Toshiba, using their SCiB&trade; technology as the initial focus for the bOS application. This collaboration leverages the strengths of SCiB&trade; technology, renowned for its fast charging and discharging, extremely long lifecycle, wide operating temperature, and safety&ndash;to broaden its application across consumer and industrial products.
"Integrating our SCiB&trade; technology with Proper Voltage's bOS represents a leap forward in energy storage," says Greg Mack, VP &amp; General Manager at Toshiba. "Breaking through technological and cost barriers to enter markets previously out of reach, our technology can now be applied across a wider spectrum of markets. This effort showcases not only the exceptional performance of SCiB&trade; chemistry but also our joint commitment to sustainability and innovation.&rdquo;

<h2>Addressing Current Limitations</h2>
The dominance of standard Lithium-Ion battery chemistries in today's market is largely due to the perceived ease of integration and lower upfront costs. However, this widespread adoption overlooks the nuanced needs of diverse applications, where alternative battery chemistries, such as Toshiba's proven SCiB&trade;, could significantly enhance performance, durability, and safety. The true potential of these innovative chemistries remains largely untapped, hindered by high investment barriers, a lack of awareness, and complex integration challenges stemming from differing voltage and power requirements.
Operating systems have revolutionized the adoption and ease of use in cell phones and computers&mdash;Proper Voltage's is now bringing this level of adaptability to the world of modern batteries, heralding a new era in energy storage solutions. Proper Voltage's bOS acts as a universal adapter, seamlessly integrating SCIB&trade; and other advanced battery chemistries into various applications by precisely tailoring diverse voltage and power requirements.
Unlike traditional battery management systems, the bOS enables the adoption of optimal battery chemistries without significant investment in battery infrastructure or modifications to existing electrical components. Its innovative software/hardware enables adaptive and scalable input and output voltage regulation, enhancing safety with no risk of overcharge or thermal runaway, and ensuring performance with meticulous cell-by-cell control. The fully programmable voltage output allows the battery to mimic how any device operates, while the programmable voltage input gives access to fast charging off standard infrastructure.
<ul>
<li>Rapid Charging &ndash; Achieves 80% charge in under 6 minutes, resulting in remarkably lower turnaround times.</li>
<li>Extended Lifespan &ndash; Over 20,000 cycles, significantly extending battery longevity</li>
<li>Enhanced Safety &ndash; Very low risk of fire or explosion caused by internal short circuits.</li>
<li>Rapid Discharging &ndash; Supports demanding applications by maintaining performance</li>
<li>Operational in Extreme Cold &ndash; Charge and discharge at temperatures as low as -30&deg;C</li>
<li>Wide State of Charge Range &ndash; Ability to access the full battery and supply full energy</li>
</ul>
<h2>A win for Product Manufacturers</h2>
Proper Voltage enables product manufacturers to adopt new battery hardware at software speeds. Beyond leveraging advanced chemistries like SCiB&trade; cells, Proper Voltage thrives in synthesizing this external chemistry with its bOS to produce customized battery solutions tailored and built to unique specifications. This innovation ensures seamless compatibility with manufacturers' existing components and system requirements, significantly streamlining the journey from concept to market-ready product.
Toshiba&rsquo;s SCiB&trade; technology has already demonstrated significant potential in industrial applications and robotics. By incorporating Proper Voltage bOS into SCiB&trade;, it can be used in a wider range of products&mdash;from e-mobility solutions to cordless appliances and lawn tools. This collaboration highlights the system&rsquo;s versatility and efficiency, underscoring the possibility of expanding into new markets where the exceptional performance and reliability of SCiB&trade; can be fully utilized.

Proper Voltage unleashes Toshiba’s  Lithium Titanium Oxide Technology

Insights

E-bike Battery Fires Are a Problem in NYC. These Swapping Stations Could Help

Proper Voltage Partners with Toshiba To Create Longer Lasting Battery

<header class="article-header">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">The same is about to happen for e-bikes. Lithium-titanate chemistry can provide 20-minute charge times rather than six to eight hours of its lithium-ion counterpart. Once e-bike riders experience the fast charging speeds of lithium-titanium oxide batteries, they will not want to go back to waiting for one-third of the entire day to get their bikes fully powered again.
</header>
<div class="article-main">
In addition to the vastly diminished charging times, <span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">lithium-titanium oxide&nbsp;batteries provide riders the security of knowing that their e-bikes won&rsquo;t catch on fire. In 2021, New York City alone reported more than 80 fires linked to electric bikes and their batteries.
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">Lithium-titanium oxide batteries also provide the benefit of lasting 20-plus years. This is a significant upgrade for the sustainability of micro mobility batteries and will decrease the population of battery graveyards. This long-lasting battery chemistry eliminates the need to try and figure out painstaking recycling programs.
Long charge times and regular battery replacements cut into operational costs and thin profit margins in commercial applications. Meanwhile, spontaneous battery fires present a safety and PR nightmare.
<h2>About the Chemistry</h2>
Conventional lithium-ion chemistries such as nickel, manganese, aluminum, or cobalt oxides can create problems. Initially developed and scaled for either phones or automobiles, these types of batteries were not well adapted to micro mobility applications.
To succeed in curbing the carbon emissions within our city centers, battery chemistry is required that&rsquo;s so well proven the military uses it. It needs the ability to charge rapidly without damaging the battery or cutting into cycle life, as well as&nbsp; catching on fire. Only after these criteria are met does energy density (the most commonly sought-after and misunderstood metric of a battery&rsquo;s attributes) become a consideration, if at all.
Energy density is the amount of power per unit of volume in a defined space. The thinking goes, the higher the energy density of a battery, the better, as it can offer more power and range before needing a recharge. However, energy density is one of the least static metrics used to measure energy capacity stored in a battery system. Temperature, discharge rate,&nbsp; depth of discharge, cycle efficiency, and many other factors drastically affect the battery&rsquo;s energy. For example, without constantly measuring the charging and discharging rate (C-rate), it&rsquo;s nearly impossible to determine a battery&rsquo;s actual energy density, primarily as it performs alongside other operating and environmental factors. When you add in the concept of fast charging, the amount of energy a battery can hold matters even less.
With phones and automobiles, it&rsquo;s easy to understand why energy density is such a critical metric. These form factors necessitate maximizing energy capacity, because making each item larger would require complete redesigns of the respective products. Thus, energy density has become the crutch by which industry professionals judge all battery chemistries regardless of other factors.
While mobile phones and automobiles have driven the current development of conventional lithium-ion batteries (such as those containing nickel, manganese, aluminum, or cobalt oxides), many people think these chemistries must also be a good fit for other applications. Yet, energy density has only mattered with these chemistries, because manufacturers have fallen into a rut of dependency on the status quo and failed to apply creativity to optimize other chemistries better suited for micro mobility applications.
<h2>The Rebirth of Lithium-Titanate</h2>
To unlock the economic potential of micro mobility, the industry has the opportunity to re-evaluate a tried and true chemistry: lithium-titanate. Long used in military and industrial applications, today, <span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">lithium-titanium oxide (LTO) batteries are leveraged in some Japanese market versions of Mitsubishi&rsquo;s i-MiEV electric vehicle, and Honda&rsquo;s EV-neo electric bike and Fit EV electric vehicle. The Tosa concept electric bus also makes use of this chemistry.
Rather than using carbon, LTO utilizes nanocrystals on the surface of its anode, giving it its well-known fast-charging and fire-resistance attributes. It could be seen as a chemistry worth overlooking for those with a narrow focus on energy density, as this misleading metric can seem low. However, advances in machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) applied to LTO can compensate for energy density, making this robust workhorse of chemistry viable for micro mobility applications.
<h2>Optimizing a Chemistry with Artificial Intelligence</h2>
To make the most of its capabilities, LTO chemistry benefits from a &ldquo;brain&rdquo; to adjust its voltage in real-time for optimal conditions. This barrier to success is what has kept most experts away from LTO, as they simply didn&rsquo;t think such an undertaking was worth their time. However, when AI and machine learning are employed across as many as 26 data metrics, LTO can dramatically outperform conventional lithium-ion batteries.
Imagine energy density as a power bar to fuel an ultra marathon runner. The runner cannot depend solely on the size of their stomach and how many power bars it can hold to ensure they have enough fuel to make it to the finish line. The runner also needs hydration, a measured cadence, and a game plan for managing energy to endure a hot day or a steep grade on the way to the finish line.
Similarly, LTO batteries can be optimized with AI to leverage various data points in real-time to maximize performance and deliver energy for its application. AI software can measure the battery&rsquo;s energy density, temperature, distance, and power spikes (among other factors) to maximize energy use and charging. For example, an electric bike battery will drain faster in a cold-weather region. Still, the AI system can know at which temperature to start charging and warming the battery cells for the ride. The AI system will help optimize the battery&rsquo;s energy density in preparation for power spikes needed to get an electric bike up a hill and to a destination before running out of power in a mountainous area. The battery&rsquo;s AI can learn from experience and improve its performance with every cycle, just like a marathon runner training for a race.
<h2>The Winning Combination of Brain and Brawn</h2>
Together, LTO and AI can solve a series of significant pain points holding back the micro mobility sector.
Charging Speed: The LTO chemistry has a more active electrode surface area that allows electrical charges to move more easily and quickly. These high currents allow for faster-charging rates and longer life cycles than lithium-ion batteries. A lithium-titanate battery can fully charge in 20 minutes or less, making it significantly faster than the average lithium-ion battery system.
Longer Lifecycle: In addition to a faster-charging speed, LTO can last more than 20 years or 15,000 cycles. This range is a dramatic lifetime increase compared to other battery technologies. Fast charging typically degrades the cycle life of standard lithium-ion chemistries, causing their cycle life to drop as low as 500 to 1000 cycles or one to two years. Companies that claim &gt;5000 cycles typically assume that the battery is slow charging. With lithium-titanate you get both peak performance and long-term reliability. The longer the lithium-titanate battery is in use, the less money operators and customers will lose on battery replacements, and the more cost-effective their operations.
Fire Resistant: Lithium-ion batteries containing oxides of nickel, manganese, aluminum, or cobalt are prone to battery fires, called thermal runaway. This type of chemical fire typically occurs when the battery is punctured or sustains damage. LTO is free of these oxides (similar to lithium-iron-phosphate), making it immune to thermal runaway and battery fires. This is why LTO is so popular in military applications; it can be beaten up, punctured, overheated, treated poorly, and still perform as expected. If we want shared micro mobility devices on our city streets, battery fires must be non-existent.
Cost Efficiency: Due to each of the above factors, LTO batteries can save owners significantly on capital and operational expenses associated with usage. Based on&nbsp;<a href="http://www.zapbatt.com/" data-uw-rm-brl="PR" data-uw-original-href="http://www.zapbatt.com/">our</a>&nbsp;internal modeling, that could be up to as much as 50 percent. The cost efficiencies come from fewer replacements, because the batteries have fewer breakdowns, shorter charges (which reduce operational costs of overnight charging), and longer lifetime use. The components of LTO batteries are also easily recycled and can help businesses better meet sustainability goals.
<h2>LTO is the Answer for Projected Market Growth</h2>
With the global micro mobility market expected to grow to as much as $200 billion by 2030, our cities should require safer and more economically sustainable battery solutions. Yet, if the industry is unable to move beyond the static and misleading concept of energy density as the sole evaluator of a battery chemistry&rsquo;s variability, the fledgling companies that have managed to survive the COVID-19 pandemic may not be around to reap the profits of the expected growth in this market. By embracing the combination of LTO chemistry and AI, the micro mobility sector can grow to reach its full potential in the next decade and bring significant improvements to air quality traffic congestion in our cities.
&mdash;Charlie Welch&nbsp;is CEO and co-founder of California-based&nbsp;<a href="https://www.propervoltage.com/" data-uw-rm-brl="PR" data-uw-original-href="https://www.zapbatt.com/">Proper Voltage</a>, a chemistry agnostic battery provider for global markets, including mobility, small and large infrastructures, and other consumer products. As an aerospace engineer, Charlie spent seven years at aerospace and defense technology companies in Applied Research, where his job was to research and optimize as many battery chemistries on the planet as possible.
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Echion and Proper Voltage to co-develop 1.6MW AI-optimized UPS Backup System

Echion and Proper Voltage to co-develop 1.6MW AI-optimized UPS Backup System

Enabling Chemistry-Agnostic Power Systems at Proper Voltage with Altium

How to Overcome the Hidden Holdup of the Battery Revolution

The Gdansk Fire: Another Wake-Up Call for Intelligent Battery Management

Unlocking the Full Potential of Batteries: The Power of Programmable Constant Output

Solving the Roadblocks to Energy Transition

This e-bike battery can charge in 10 minutes—and won’t catch on fire

Proper Voltage unleashes Toshiba’s Lithium Titanium Oxide Technology

E-bike Battery Fires Are a Problem in NYC. These Swapping Stations Could Help