Vernon battery maker’s portable charger can quick-charge a smartphone 10 times
Electric vehicles are the main market for Romeo Power Technology, the Vernon-based lithium-ion battery pack startup.
But the company is also using its know-how to make portable battery packs for individuals.
On Thursday it introduced the Saber, a ruggedized 2.2-pound bar-shaped device the company says can quick-charge a smartphone 10 times — or, with the right connectors, 10 smartphones at once.
It can also recharge tablets, laptops and small drone aircraft as fast as a wall charger, the company said — it’s “like having a wall-socket in your pocket,” said Dion Isselhardt, the company’s chief product officer.
The Saber itself requires two hours of wall time for a refill.
Approved by the Transportation Security Administration, the device can be taken aboard aircraft and charge most laptops twice and any laptop at least one time, according to Romeo.
The device is vent-free, cooled by a thermal management technique the company calls its “secret sauce.” No vents means better dust and water resistance, Romeo says.
There are dozens if not hundreds of recharge-pack competitors, but Romeo says its combination of features will set this one apart. The device is priced at $199 on early orders and will be available by December, when the price will rise to $299.
Twitter: @russ1mitchell
