Jürgen Pansy: “New Power Pack technology combines sustainability and improved user experience”
Nuki NewsNuki repeatedly demonstrates its pioneering spirit, which is not limited to the Smart Lock. This is why the company is also constantly working on sustainable battery alternatives. The second Power Pack generation is now in use. In this interview, Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer Jürgen Pansy talks about what characterizes the new Power Pack technology and why older Nuki Smart Locks also benefit from it.
Nuki has had a sustainable, rechargeable alternative to disposable batteries in its product portfolio for several years. As Chief Innovation Officer, why was it so important to you to take the Power Pack technology to the next level?
PANSY: Nuki Smart Locks were designed from the outset to also work with rechargeable batteries. In autumn 2020, we presented the Nuki Power Pack, the first sustainable, rechargeable alternative to disposable batteries that is much easier to use than four individual battery cells. At the time, we were the first to offer a sustainable alternative for batteries for electronic door locks. Four years have passed and we have the second generation of our Power Pack on the market.
Old or new buildings, doors that are difficult to open or easy, single-person households or large families with many locking actions: is there a user scenario in which you particularly benefit from the improved Power Pack technology?
PANSY: In principle, rechargeable batteries can store more energy than alkaline batteries of the same size. They also release this energy more evenly, which benefits our Smart Locks in all usage scenarios – whether it is a sluggish door or low temperatures in winter. It’s therefore a useful extension for everyone. No matter in which specific user scenario you use Nuki: our Power Pack always enhances the Smart Lock.
Changing batteries is history with the Power Pack. But are there other fundamental advantages?
PANSY: Yes, there is another major advantage besides the sustainability aspect. With the Power Pack, I can charge my Nuki Smart Lock directly on the door while it is in use. The Power Pack is essentially the door opener for a permanent power supply for our Smart Locks. That’s a plus point that’s easily overlooked with all the other advantages.
Was there a target group that you focussed on when developing the new Power Pack technology?
PANSY: No, our new generation of Power Packs should be of benefit to everyone. Not just users who already know our Power Pack and appreciate its benefits. It would be great if we could give users who still operate their Nuki Smart Lock with alkaline batteries a good reason to switch to the Power Pack with the improved technology. And of course, I would be particularly pleased: If we could get people who already use an electronic door lock – but not one of ours – excited about Nuki with the Power Pack. Precisely because our Smart Locks don’t have to be operated with disposable batteries.
What exactly is the difference between the first and second generation of the Nuki Power Pack?
PANSY: Since the Power Pack went on sale in January 2021, we have been working on many aspects where we saw room for improvement. But there were also requests from users that we really wanted to fulfill. The fact that we have completely revised the charging electronics, for example, is a direct response to feedback from many customers. The new Power Pack can also be charged with fast chargers (power delivery) and is therefore compatible with all USB-C chargers. However, as the name suggests, the new cell technology of the Power Pack is all about power. We have succeeded in reducing energy loss in standby mode. Less self-discharge leads to more usable capacity in real-life usage scenarios. What was already guaranteed with the first Power Pack generation and of course remains unchanged: With our app, you can keep a precise overview of the battery charge level. If it falls below 20 percent, the LED flashes directly on the Smart Lock and you receive a push notification.
More usable capacity is all well and good. However, the new Power Pack basically has less capacity than the old one. But why is it, in this specific case, even something positive?
PANSY: I understand anyone who is initially skeptical about the lower capacity. However, when developing the new generation of Power Packs, this approach made sense to us. Thanks to improved electronics and new technologies such as Matter and Thread, our newer products require less energy in standby mode, which generally extends the battery life. It therefore makes more sense to rely on a battery technology that does not have as much nominal capacity but can last longer. And that is exactly what we have done with the new generation of the Power Pack.
With the 4th Generation Smart Lock Pro, I automatically get the improved Power Pack. Now the new cell technology is also available in the stand alone product. But does it even make sense to upgrade older Nuki Smart Locks with a new Power Pack?
PANSY: I can only answer that with a resounding yes! Basically, all Smart Locks that we have ever brought to the market can also be operated with our rechargeable battery pack instead of alkaline batteries. The new Power Pack is yet another upgrade for Nuki Smart Locks, which in my opinion you should definitely do. Of course, you benefit above all from the longer battery life. The 4th Generation Pro model mentioned above, for example, has a 30 percent longer battery life. This also has to do with the more energy-efficient Thread protocol in the Matter-enabled Smart Lock.
But the new Power Pack technology will also improve the battery life of previous models. For me as Chief Innovation Officer, this is an ideal situation: I don’t need disposable batteries and I don’t have to charge my Smart Lock as often. A win-win situation for the user and the environment.
