BMW, Lear, and Bosch have backed California startup, CelLink, with $250M for a new method of connecting battery cells and transferring power and data across a vehicle's sensors, modules, and control units. Referred to as a"flex harness", it can combine the functions of several traditional wiring harnesses at once, significantly reducing weight, mass, and cost while enabling more automated and modular vehicle assembly.
Who is that Startup? CelLink, which was founded in 2011, has been increasing production for years and has now raised about $315M for a 25-line factory in Georgetown, Texas that will open later this year. CEO Kevin Coakley said their products are already in hundreds of thousands of EVs, and they have their sights on increasing production and widening applications to agriculture, military, and aerospace in the future.
Telling it like it is - Cheaper, lighter, more efficient? Check. As reliable? Let's find out.