Record-breaking battery enables 10 minute charging for electric cars

Breakthrough will enable ‘mass adoption of affordable electric cars,’ professor claims

Scientists have invented a new type of battery that makes it possible to charge electric vehicles in less than 10 minutes.

The innovative design for lithium-ion batteries involves a “record-breaking combination” of shorter charge time and more energy acquired for longer travel range, according to the Penn State University researchers who came up with it.

“The need for smaller, faster-charging batteries is greater than ever,” said Professor Chao-Yang Wang from Penn State University, who led the research.

“There are simply not enough batteries and critical raw materials, especially those produced domestically, to meet anticipated demand.”

The fast-charging technology makes it possible for electric vehichles to downsize from 150 to 50 kWh without compromising on range, making them cheaper and more efficient.

“The smaller, faster-charging batteries will dramatically cut down battery cost and usage of critical raw materials, such as cobalt, graphite and lithium, enabling mass adoption of affordable electric cars,” said Professor Wang.

The breakthrough centres on a novel method for regulating the temperature of the battery, which is needed to optimise its charge time and performance. Until now, this has involved external heating and cooling systems that are inefficient and waste energy.

Regular batteries have three components – an anode, an electrolyte and a cathode – but the fast-charging system adds a fourth that integrates the temperature regulation system.

An ultrathin layer of nickel acts as a stimulus to regulate the battery’s temperature, allowing for 10-minute fast charging for electric cars.

“True fast-charging batteries would have immediate impact,” the researchers noted.

“Since there are not enough raw materials for every internal combustion engine car to be replaced by a 150 kWh-equipped EV, fast charging is imperative for EVs to go mainstream.”

The research was detailed in a study, titled ‘Fast charging of energy-dense lithium-ion batteries’, in the scientific journal Nature on Wednesday.