There is no shortage of EV startups looking to challenge established automakers, but Milan-based Aehra is taking a different approach.
Aehra unveiled its first model, an SUV, last October, plans to unveil a sedan in June, and aims to start deliveries of both in 2025 in markets potentially including North America, Europe, China, and the Middle East. The startup recently announced that battery packs will be supplied by Austria-based Miba Battery Systems, with an emphasis on efficiency and a long life span.
The two companies will collaborate on bespoke battery hardware, which Aehra says will allow for greater flexibility than off-the-shelf components. That will allow for a solution specifically tailored to Aehra's vehicle architecture, allowing engineers to maximize range, efficiency, and weight savings.
Aehra SUV concept
Aehra also aims for maximum "sustainability and battery repairability" to give both its vehicles and their battery packs long useful lifespans. These factors, along with overall efficiency, are more important to the startup than performance.
“We have no desire to build vehicles with 1 megawatt or 2 megawatt powertrains," Franco Cimatti, Aehra's chief engineering officer, said in a statement. "While the race car-like acceleration of such cars can be impressive if a customer wishes to wow their friends, within a few seconds the energy reserves of the battery are reduced to half, which offers little customer value for real world driving."
While Aehra EVs will have "excellent dynamic performance," the startup is avoiding anything that would require an oversize battery pack, "which simply leads to increased cost, weight, inefficiency, and complexity," Cimatti said.
Aehra SUV concept
Aehra is targeting 497 miles of range (likely as measured on the European WLTP testing cycle) from a 120-kwh pack. It's also planning to incorporate 350-kw DC fast-charging capability, bidirectional charging, and home solar integration for customers.
The Aehra SUV itself features a 118-inch wheelbase, but with a low roof and short overhangs. The startup previously said smart packaging means an NBA star will feel comfortable in the cabin, which is also chock full of screens.
Aehra SUV concept
Aehra's emphasis on battery repairability is another claim that stands out versus those of most other EV makers. EV drivers today must deal with battery-repair hurdles that could inflate insurance premiums, although right to repair laws could help with this.
General Motors has discussed battery-cell flexibility and ease of replacement as a feature of its Ultium hardware. But solutions such as cell-to-chassis tech and cell-to-pack might only make battery repairability more challenging.
