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BREA, Calif. – Mullen Automotive Inc. (NASDAQ:) has announced significant progress in the testing of its solid-state battery technology, surpassing initial range expectations in its Class 1 EV cargo van.
Road testing, which began on February 26, 2024, at the company’s Commercial Tech Center in Troy, Michigan, has demonstrated an 86% increase in vehicle range, from the projected 190 miles to an actual 205 miles.
The company’s latest testing phase initiated in January 2024, involved the integration of a solid-state polymer battery pack into the Class 1 EV cargo van. The tests aimed to assess the compatibility between the vehicle and the new battery technology.
The battery’s higher energy density allowed for a total pack energy increase from 42 kWh to 72 kWh.
David Michery, CEO and chairman of Mullen Automotive, expressed satisfaction with the initial test results which met or exceeded all targeted requirements for the first drive cycles in terms of energy usage and driving range. “Additional testing over time will solidify a solid-state solution for our commercial vehicles,” Michery said, outlining the next steps to include finalizing design and manufacturing validation.
This development is part of Mullen’s broader EV portfolio, which includes the Mullen FIVE EV Crossover, the Mullen-GO Commercial Urban Delivery EV, and the electric SUV trucks from Bollinger Motors, a majority-owned subsidiary of Mullen Automotive.
The company, headquartered in Southern California, is set to manufacture its EVs across two assembly plants in the United States.
The news follows Mullen’s acquisition of Electric Last Mile Solutions’ assets on December 1, 2022, which included intellectual property and a 650,000-square-foot plant in Mishawaka, Indiana. This acquisition is expected to bolster Mullen’s EV production capabilities.
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This story originally appeared on Investing
