Nyobolt presents reborn Lotus Elise S1 EV concept at Goodwood

It plans to open a materials manufacturing site in the UK, and hopes to ultimately produce “millions” of units for a range of applications including home appliances, energy storage and cars.

Nyobolt says its batteries are smaller and lighter than those used by EVs today, but are still recyclable and manufacturable at a lower price point. Using existing infrastructure, it fully charges in just six minutes and charges to 80% in four minutes. Nyobolt claims its batteries can undergo more than 2000 fast-charge cycles without "significant performance loss" and will last for 300,000 miles, thanks to the fact its technology does not put stress on the anode, prolonging the battery's life. 

The quicker charging capacity touted by the Nyobolt EV concept has been achieved by simplifying the charging process to its bare components, the company says. New materials, cell designs and software controls have been developed to make the battery more powerful and efficient.

Shivareddy said the firm is looking to develop charging innovations "that cannot wait". With the ever-increasing uptake in electric cars in the UK and around the world, he believes a solution is required that will "slash charging times from hours to a few minutes."

The technology has also been produced to alleviate some of the barriers to battery development, for example slow charge times, access to battery materials, and battery degradation issues. According to Callum's managing director, Nyobolt's tech offers a solution to these problems.

The significant implications of the battery technology housed within this future-looking concept are reinforced by Callum’s substantial overhaul of the original Elise’s design.

Callum's creative lead, Aleck Jones, said: “Rather than take a resto-mod approach, the aim was to evolve the design and bring it up to date, while keeping that understated, everyman sportscar feel that was so well received in the Elise. We needed to ensure that we maintained the right attitude with the body, so it’s nose-down, taking that same aggressive stance.

“Nyobolt’s technology allows this car to tick all the boxes that made the original Elise such a desirable drivers’ car with a cult following, but it’s electric. These two things don’t usually come hand-in-hand due to weight and battery packaging constraints.”

The result is a thoroughly modernised take on the Elise - wider, lower and cleaner than the 1996 car for a more purposeful stance, and with a raft of modern flourishes throughout to give the impression of a sports car designed today, rather than before the millennium. Importantly, it is said to weigh "closer to one tonne than two" as a result of the lighter batteries.