Battery technology company Boston-Power has secured $45m in C-round funding for its efficient Lithium-ion battery technology, called Sonata.

The Westborough, Massachusetts-based company markets a system that uses an altered chemical compound and redesigned package to increase the energy retention and safety of its batteries.

Sonata retains up to 80 per cent of its charge capacity over three years, according to the company, compared with traditional Lithium-ion batteries, which can begin to deteriorate noticeably within a few months.

"For users that have moderate use, they won't have to buy that extra battery after one to two years," said Per Onnerud, chief technology officer at Boston-Power. The batteries will also be able to charge more quickly, making them more convenient for users.

Another advantage to its design is improved safety, Onnerud said. A reconfigured package design enables the company to increase the footprint of its cell while keeping the package the same, which makes the chemistry safer, he explained.

"When you stuff it to its limit you have to decrease your tolerances, and in some cases that has led to less safety," he said.

The safety of batteries has become a major issue in recent years, after thousands of batteries were recalled by multiple IT manufacturers following a series of explosions, most notably of Dell laptops.

Boston-Power said it has also secured a deal with Asian manufacturer GP Batteries which, with the injection of funding from a team lead by Oak Investment Partners, will enable it to drastically increase production capacity for the Sonata battery. Although the batteries are primarily aimed at laptops today, the company hopes to see them used in other products such as hybrid electric vehicles in the future.