Battery materials developer Echion Technologies has teamed up with battery storage firm Proper Voltage to develop an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) platform for AI data centers.

The two companies signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to integrate Echion’s XNO battery technology into Proper Voltage’s 480V and 800V Vault UPS system to create a unified system for the AI data center sector, dubbed VaultX.

According to the companies, the system will integrate Echion’s novel XNO anode material, which it claims can sustain symmetric high-rate charge and discharge, into Proper Voltage’s existing UPS system.

The companies claim the system, with 1.6MW of power, 84kWh capacity, and 480V or 800V rack configurations, will significantly shorten deployment timelines while mitigating the impact of power swings.

Commenting on the agreement, Jean de La Verpilliere, CEO of Echion, said: “AI data centers need exactly what XNO was built for, which is extremely high charge and discharge rates sustained across tens of thousands of cycles. Our materials and cells are built for duty cycles that aren’t survivable for conventional chemistries, and collaborating with Proper Voltage enables us to implement these capabilities in a market-leading UPS platform and ensure that operators can benefit from VaultX in the shortest possible amount of time.”

“Our architecture was purposely designed so that operators can adopt new and emerging battery technology without redesigning their power systems, which is why integrating XNO into our Vault architecture is straightforward. What this system changes for an operator is the business case,” added Charlier Welch, CEO of Proper Voltage.

Echion’s XNO battery technology is an anode chemistry that, according to the company, can enable lithium-ion batteries to safely charge or discharge in three to six minutes across more than 50,000 cycles. The company is based in Cambridge, UK.

Proper Voltage develops control and integration technology that helps advanced batteries operate reliably in power systems without requiring complete redesigns. The company is based in Carlsbad, California.