Electric vehicle batteries’ limited lifespan and efficiency remain major obstacles to widespread EV adoption. Conventional lithium-ion batteries in today’s devices typically last between 300–500 charge cycles (roughly five years) before significant degradation. Even the best commercial batteries with NMC532 and graphite electrodes have a service life of only about eight years. PULSETRAIN tackles this challenge with AI-driven pulse-loading technology to enhance battery performance, extend lifespan, and enable efficient reuse, thereby improving sustainability and reducing waste.
The Munich startup has secured €6.1M in seed funding to drive innovation in electromobility. The round was led by Vsquared Ventures and Planet A, with Climate Club participating. This fresh capital will accelerate product development as the company prepares to scale and industrialise. The valuation and total funding were not disclosed to TFN.
Transforming battery efficiency through smart pulse loading
PULSETRAIN, formerly known as Bavertis, was founded in April 2022 by Leopold König, (co-founder of CustomCells), Thomas Plaschko (founder of enfas), and Niclas Lehnert (co-founder of BAVERTIS). The founding team brings decades of battery sector expertise and experience building successful technology companies, combining deep industry knowledge with a proven ability to scale.
Niclas Lehnert told TFN: “With our depth of experience, we saw a market opportunity to create technology that enables EV producers to make vehicles safer, longer-lasting, more cost-effective, and globally competitive.”
The company’s rebranding from Bavertis to PULSETRAIN on September 18, 2024, reflects its core technology of optimising battery cells through targeted pulse loading. The name “Train” represents their complete powertrain solution for electric drives, encompassing charging systems, battery management, and inverters.
PULSETRAIN is a revolutionary electric vehicle inverter and battery management (BMS) technology. Their solution extends battery life by up to 80%, enables faster charging, and promotes sustainability through battery reuse, enhancing EV efficiency, safety, and environmental impact.
The company started with two-wheelers and commercial vehicles before expanding into the automotive, aviation, agriculture, and shipping sectors. Market opportunities are significant with the growing demand for robust, sustainable electric powertrains. PULSETRAIN is actively working with partners on test vehicle development and production planning.
Behind PULSETRAIN: a holistic approach that drives efficiency
While conventional battery systems focus on isolated components, PULSETRAIN takes a holistic approach, integrating a Battery Management System (BMS), inverter, and charging electronics into a highly integrated “In-Battery” solution. At its core is a multilevel inverter that enables more efficient energy use through hardware and software. The entire powertrain integrates inside the battery housing using a standardised electronic system and AI.
PULSETRAIN’s approach eliminates several standard components, improving resource efficiency. The company is also developing a multilevel platform for AI-based real-time data analysis, enabling new possibilities in fleet management, intelligent charging control, and bidirectional power grid integration.
Thomas Plaschko, co-founder of PULSETRAIN, says: “Today’s powertrain technologies originate from traditional electrical engineering, while battery systems have their roots in chemistry. Additionally, a significant software component is required to control battery-powered vehicles.”
He added, “PULSETRAIN unites these three fields of expertise, developing a new, more powerful software-driven architecture designed for e-mobility. We reduce weight, increase battery lifespan, and simultaneously lower costs. This allows manufacturers to produce lighter, more efficient, and cost-optimized vehicles, while our product’s technological openness enables them to tailor it precisely to their needs. This makes us unique in the market.”
PULSETRAIN is setting the benchmark in multilevel inverter (MLT) technology, outpacing competitors like Scalvy, Hyundai, Porsche, and Stellantis. While competitors face challenges with limited funding, smaller teams, or early-stage developments, the company has demonstrated its production and automotive applications technology, including the world’s first MLT-ready ASIC and a demo car. With proven innovation and a strong management team, PULSETRAIN leads the market in multilevel inverter systems.
Breaking barriers in automotive battery technology
Speaking about plans, Lehnert concludes: “Our goal is to bring the product to market, first for non-automotive vehicles (e.g., Non-Road and Industrial Machinery). The next step, down the line, would then be automotive.”
Patrick Tucci, Principal at Vsquared Ventures, says: “PULSETRAIN delivers the disruptive innovation that will enable the Western automotive industry to remain competitive in the highly contested global market. Manufacturers can produce better and more cost-effective electric vehicles only with PULSETRAIN’s completely new approach to battery systems. Given the latest advancements in semiconductor technology and AI, now is the perfect moment to bring and scale this technology in the market.”
Nick de la Forge, General Partner at Planet A, says: “PULSETRAIN solves one of the biggest barriers to full-scale EV adoption today: performance. The team’s technology dramatically enhances battery efficiency, making EVs better, cheaper, and truly competitive. With resource efficiency and sustainable supply chains at the heart of the EU’s agenda for clean industrial growth, PULSETRAIN is positioned to play an instrumental role in accelerating the transition.”
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