Nine Minutes to Recharge: Agility Picks Nyobolt for Digit 5’s Long Working Day

Agility Robotics has named Nyobolt as the battery technology partner behind Digit 5’s nine-minute charging system, putting a supplier name to one of the humanoid’s most commercially important upgrades.

The October 15 announcement ties the partnership to Agility’s target of more than 20 hours of work in a 24-hour day. The proposed rhythm is 90 minutes of operation followed by nine minutes of charging, with early access expected in the first half of 2027.

Key Takeaways

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• Nyobolt will supply the battery technology for Digit 5’s planned 90-minute runtime and nine-minute recharge.
• Agility says the 10:1 run-to-charge ratio, up from Digit 4’s 2:1, will support more than 20 working hours per day.
• Pack capacity, charging power and quantified cycle-life results were not disclosed in the announcement.

Less time at the charger

The charging specification was already part of Digit 5’s September unveiling. This release identifies the technology partner and explains how Agility intends to use the improvement to extend operating windows in warehouses, distribution centers and factories.

“For our customers, Digit's uptime is the business case,” said Daniel Diez, Agility’s chief business officer.

The ratios illustrate the opportunity. In an idealized schedule consisting only of work and charging, a 10:1 ratio leaves roughly 91% of the time available for operation, compared with about 67% at 2:1. That translates to approximately 21.8 versus 16 hours across a full day. These are calculations from the stated ratios, not measured fleet productivity: travel to a charger, maintenance, task delays and interventions would also affect useful working time.

A smaller pack with more power

Nyobolt says Agility needed more power from a smaller, lighter battery pack. The Cambridge, UK company develops proprietary anode materials, battery cells and power electronics, with fast charging and durability central to its offering.

The release does not specify Digit 5’s battery capacity, pack weight, charger power, charge-level window or cycle-life test results.

The commercial context is Agility’s effort to make each deployed robot earn its keep. At its recent Investor Day, management put Digit 5’s launch bill of materials at about $150,000 and described a major order that releases robots as individual use cases are demonstrated. More hours available for work could improve those economics, provided the robot can perform the required tasks reliably.

Agility expects availability to increase over the six to nine months following early access. The battery partnership fills in another part of Digit 5’s production plan; its sustained performance in customer operations remains to be demonstrated.