nanoFLOWCELL Bringing Updated Quant And New Quantino Concepts To Geneva

A year ago, a little known startup by the name of nanoFLOWCELL showed off an electric sedan concept that was powered by energy stored in a device called a flow cell. A flow cell combines characteristics of a traditional chemical battery and more advanced fuel cells, and according to nanoFLOWCELL it promises to offer the long driving range and short refueling time of a conventional internal combustion car.

The key is the rechargeable electrolyte fluid that the energy is stored in. This ‘charged’ liquid is circulated around two cells mounted side-by-side. Between these cells is a membrane that allows electrons to pass through in a process known as “cold burning”. The electrical current generated from this flow of electrons can be used to power a vehicle—and that's exactly how the sedan, known as the Quant, is powered.

Whether nanoFLOWCELL's technology is legit remains unclear, because the company is yet to demonstrate a working prototype or provide details on the internal workings of its flow cell design. However, the company has made a number of major strides. More recently, it’s managed to gain engineering giant Bosch as one of its backers, it’s received approval from the German government to test prototypes on public roads, and it’s formed a subsidiary company to start production of its future lineup.

Now, nanoFLOWCELL is planning an updated version of the original Quant concept as well as a second, smaller concept for the 2015 Geneva Motor Show. The updated Quant concept is called the Quant F and is said to have a driving range of almost 500 miles on a full load of electrolyte fluid. Its peak output is an incredible 1,075 horsepower and its top speed is in excess of 186 mph, though this level of performance is to show the potential of the technology and will be reduced for production.

According to Nunzio La Vecchia, the mastermind behind nanoFLOWCELL, the incredible performance is made possible due to a “buffer system” that allows up to 2,000 amperes when full performance is needed. Normally, around 50 amperes is continuously fed into the system.

"To our knowledge, no-one has ever before put a system delivering over 2,000 amperes on the road in a passenger car,” La Vecchia said in a statement. “We achieve this by combining our flow battery with the new buffer system.”

The second concept is called the Quantino and it’s essentially a smaller, less powerful version of the Quant. Despite carrying less of the electrolyte fluid than the Quant (500 liters versus 350 liters), the Quantino is said to be capable of driving as much as 620 miles.