The right for consumers to repair their own products, instead of needing to pay the original dealer, is spreading. We would add that this should be within their capability, and not pose a danger. So we would ordinarily say that e-bike owners should not attempt to repair their batteries. But what if there were genuinely repairable e-bike batteries, designed for customers to work on?
New UL 2271 Compliant E-Bike Battery Casing
E-bike batteries typically consist of a number of cells, hard-wired together in series and in parallel sets. Clearly, the manufacturers do not intend consumers to replace individual cells. Indeed, this could be downright dangerous.
Gauche is a word that means awkward and fumbling in English. Gouache, on the other hand, refers to an intensely-colored water-based poster paint. Neither word brings us any closer to why a disruptive French start-up chose Gouache for their name.
Gouache has announced a mission to prevent a few bad cells from spoiling e-bike batteries. Their repairable e-bike batteries allow their customers to replace dead cells, and perhaps restore batteries close to original voltage. But how does this work in practice?
A Simple Case Restores Micro-Mobility Driving Range
The three-person Gouache team have come up with a lateral idea. They have designed a stout, fire-resistant battery case, into which they slot 18650 lithium-ion cells. This does away with hard-wiring. A user just needs a suitable-size flat screwdriver to pop a bad battery cell out, and replace it.
We are not sure how this works in practice, but we understand a ‘bluetooth-connected app’ keeps the user in touch with cell performance. Ars Technica assures us the battery is compatible with 90% of existing brands. No wonder the start-up calls their offering an ‘Infinity Battery’.
Gouache is up front with a warning that lithium-ion batteries can be hazardous, and that purchasing their product absolves buyers from any damage or injuries. We already replace 18650 lithium-ion cells in some of our devices. So why not in their Infinity Batteries as well, we suppose?
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18650 Battery Size Shape and Applications
