Boston Dynamics are very frugal with the data they release about their products and especially about the battery packs. However, we thought it would be good to see what we can find.
This will also give us another reference point for the sizing of battery packs for industrial robots.
The specification sheet [1] has a 2024 update date and is a good starting point. This leads to the SDS sheets and they show that the Explorer pack (036845-001) uses the Samsung INR18650-30Q cell while the Enterprise pack uses a Molicel cell. Hence it is worth comparing those two packs.
Spot Explorer (036845-001)
- 2021
Spot Enterprise (04-0036010-001)
- 2024
- Total energy = 0.605 kWh
- Nominal Voltage = 50.4 V
- Maximum Voltage = 58.6 V
- Nominal Capacity = 12 Ah
- Continuous power ~ 0.4 kW
- Configuration = 14 s 4 p
- Total number of cells = 56
- Pack Mass = 4.2 kg
- Cell Mass = 2.5536 kg
- Pack-Cells = 1.6464 kg
- Cell to Pack Mass Ratio = 60.8 %
- Pack Dimensions
- 324 mm x 168 mm x 93 mm
- Volume = 5.06 litres
- Cell Total Volume = 0.97 litres
- Cell to Pack Volume Ratio = 19.2 %
- Total energy = 0.564 kWh
- Nominal Voltage = 50.4 V
- Maximum Voltage = 58.2 V
- Nominal Capacity = 11.2 Ah
- Continuous power ~ 0.38 kW
- Configuration = 14 s
- Pack Mass = 5.2 kg
- Pack Dimensions
- 324 mm x 168 mm x 93 mm
- Pack Volume = 5.06 litres
- Environment
- IP54 Rating
- Max temperature = 50°C
- Min temperature = -20°C
Pack Metrics
- Gravimetric Energy Density = 144 Wh/kg
- Volumetric Energy Density = 119.5 Wh/litre
- Gravimetric Power Density ~ 96 W/kg
- Gravimetric Energy Density = 109Wh/kg
- Volumetric Energy Density = 111.5 Wh/litre
- Gravimetric Power Density ~ 72 W/kg
This post has been built based on the support of and sponsorship from: Quarto Technical Services, Eatron Technologies and About:Energy
Charging
- Power ~ 0.42 kW
- Maximum Current = 7.2 A
- 0-100% charge = 120 minutes
- Swappable
- Power ~ 0.7 kW
- Maximum Current = 12 A
- 0-100% charge = 60 minutes
- 10-80% charge = 50 minutes
- Swappable
Spot has a hot swap feature where the charging cable is plugged in, the discharge battery is unlatched and removed before a fully charged pack is dropped in.
The video [2] shows that this can be done very quickly.
Cells
- Samsung INR18650-30Q
- Chemistry = NCA
- Format = 18650
- Nominal
- Capacity = 3 Ah
- Voltage = 3.6 V
- Energy = 10.8 Wh
- Mass = 0.0456 kg
- Gravimetric Energy Density = 236.8 Wh/kg
- Volumetric Energy Density = 622 Wh/litre
- Make = Molicel
References
- 2024 Spot Battery Specifications, Boston Dynamics
- Spot Battery and Charging: Performing A Hot Swap, YouTube
- Spot Battery Safety Data Sheets (SDS), Boston Dynamics
- Spot® Information for Use V1.1
See also: Benchmarking Battery Packs, Industrial Robots