American University researchers develop new technology to charge electric vehicles in ten minutes

Science and Technology Daily, Beijing, October 15 (Reporter Zhang Mengran) According to a study published in the latest issue of “Nature”, researchers at Pennsylvania State University have developed a breakthrough technology that shortens the charging time of electric vehicle batteries to At just 10 minutes, it’s a record-breaking combination of shorter charging times and longer driving range.

The need for smaller, faster-charging batteries is greater than ever, the researchers say. In August, the California Air Resources Board passed a plan to restrict and eventually ban the sale of gasoline-powered vehicles in the state.

The researchers explained that if new car sales are to switch to battery-powered electric vehicles, two major drawbacks need to be overcome: too slow to charge, and too large. Depending on the battery, some EVs can take a full day to recharge, while it only takes a few minutes to top up at a gas station.

The new fast-charging technology works with most energy-intensive batteries, opening up the possibility of shrinking EV batteries from 150 kWh to 50 kWh without causing driver anxiety about range. Smaller, faster-charging batteries will greatly reduce battery costs and the use of key raw materials such as cobalt, graphite, and lithium, paving the way for mass adoption of affordable electric vehicles.

The research team developed the technology in partnership with start-up company EC Power. The technology relies on internal thermal modulation, an active method of temperature control that requires optimal battery performance. Batteries operate most efficiently when they are hot, but not too hot. Keeping batteries at just the right temperature at all times has been a major challenge for battery engineers. Historically, researchers have relied on bulky external heating and cooling systems to regulate battery temperature, which react slowly and waste a lot of energy.

The research team regulates the temperature from inside the battery. They designed a new battery structure that added ultrathin nickel foil as a fourth component in addition to the anode, electrolyte, and cathode. The nickel foil self-regulates the temperature and reactivity of the battery, enabling a 10-minute fast charge on almost any EV battery.

The researchers say that true fast-charging batteries will have an immediate impact, and fast-charging is essential for electric vehicles if they are to replace internal-combustion vehicles in the mainstream.

[Editor-in-chief circles]

The range and charging of electric vehicles at this stage are indeed obstacles to their further popularization. However, the rise of electric vehicles is driving the overall progress of charging technology. If we stay in the previous cognition, we will not be able to imagine the future technological development. This article describes the result of such a clearing of the hurdle. If the cost of establishing battery replacement stations and charging stations and the universality of batteries from different manufacturers can be gradually solved in the future, then it is not impossible for electric vehicles to replace fuel vehicles.