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Fast-charging battery developer Enevate is aiming to see its technology worked into Formula 1 (F1) cars, the glamorous speedsters that have attracted generations of motor sports fans.
CEO Bob Kruse says he’s looking to next season when new rules will favor Enevate’s batteries. F1 cars have adopted a hybrid mode combining an electric motor and combustion engine running on petroleum-based fuel.
“The rules are changing for 2026, and they favor silicon,” Kruse told the Business Journal on April 11. “I couldn’t have written rules that were more targeted at my technology.”
Enevate itself does not manufacture the silicon-dominant batteries, instead specializing in developing the extreme fast charge and high energy density technology. That in turn is worked into battery cells that eventually could be used in the F1 cars.
The Irvine-based company has licensed its technology to four cell manufacturers, including Los Angeles-based NantG power, headed by Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, the local mega-entrepreneur, physician and owner of the Los Angeles Times.
Curve Charging, Straightaway Speeds
Kruse says Enevate has improved the amount of charging that goes into the batteries when the high-powered race car is slowing down in the curves, as a way to give it more speed on the straights.
“The only way to overtake is to have the battery charged,” he says.
Unlike American stock car racing, where cars continuously race along oval tracks such as the Daytona 500, F1 races are built around a mix of straightaways and irregular serpentine curves. This format forces the racers to slow down – and that’s where the hybrid technology helps to recharge the engine.
“When you’re using the motors as generators to slow the vehicle in the corners, the more energy you then have available on the straightaway to overtake,” said Kruse.
He emphasized that the use of Enevate tech in the F1 racers’ batteries would be good “exposure” for his company, if it comes about, while there would also be some royalty payments for use of the tech in the cells.
Ferrari and McLaren may be two of the best-known F1 teams.
Race Course Tech Proving
“A lot of advanced technology is proven on the racecourse, before it makes it to high volume commerce,” according to Kruse.
He declined to provide revenue or profit figures for privately owned Enevate, a pioneer in lithium-ion batteries, except to say “we’re making money.” The company counts 75 employees.
In technical terms, the Enevate technology has achieved continuous high-performance charge and discharge rates greater than 50C, with peak capabilities exceeding 100C in various cell formats.
Kruse emphasizes that the multi-billion-dollar F1 industry is very secretive, so he can’t name names of potential customers. However, he says he is working with specific F1 teams to get them interested.
Enevate technology is in batteries for e-motorcycles, such as the Lightning Motorcycles featured on the company’s website.
“EVs Will Be More Convenient Than Gas Cars,” is the motto on the Enevate website, which says the batteries will be able to take a charge in five minutes.
EV Batteries Cars Down the Road
Still, Enevate technology used in automobiles will have to wait and could be ready “in about four years.” the company says.
Enevate has been working with foreign and domestic carmakers to clear the way for using the company’s technology in EV car batteries.
Kruse sees the market shifting more toward EVs but there will always be a place for the internal combustion engine.
The company’s investors include Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi (Alliance Ventures), LG Chem, Samsung Venture Investment Corp, Fidelity Management & Research Company, Mission Ventures, Infinite Potential Technologies, Presidio Ventures – a Sumitomo Corporation company, Lenovo, CEC Capital and Bangchak.