US University engineers funded by Ford say they’ve made a breakthrough that could in time slash charging times to five minutes or less.
They’ve done this by addressing one of the key challenges hindering charging speed: overheating. The faster current flows through a charging system, the hotter everything gets, from the battery to the charging cable.
Cooling things down can allow for higher currents and faster charging. Researchers developed a cable that uses liquid-and-vapor cooling to accommodate a current of over 2,400 amps, almost five times that of today’s most advanced EV chargers. Tesla Superchargers deliver up to 520 amps.
Only 1,400 amps are needed to bring charging times for large EVs down below five minutes, the researchers said.
But a cool charging cable is just one piece of the puzzle, and ultra-quick charging is still a ways away. For five-minute charging to become reality, we’ll need charging stations that can deliver more power and cars that can accept it.
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