First five-minute-charge electric car batteries produced
Fully charging an electric vehicle in the same time as filling up a petrol or diesel car could soon be a reality.
Batteries capable of fully charging in five minutes have been produced in a factory for the first time by battery developer StoreDot.
The batteries can be fully charged in five minutes but this would require higher-powered chargers than used today. Using available charging infrastructure, StoreDot is aiming to deliver 100 miles of charge to a car battery in five minutes in 2025 - according to The Guardian.
Having already demonstrated its extreme fast-charging battery in phones, drones and e-scooters, the Israeli company aims to make range and charging anxiety a thing of the past. It currently has 1000 batteries ready to showcase its technology to carmakers and other companies.
The sample cells, produced by China's EVE Energy, are different from existing Lithium-ion batteries. The StoreDot battery replaces graphite with semiconductor nanoparticles into which ions can pass more quickly and easily. These nanoparticles are currently based on germanium, which is water soluble and easier to handle in manufacturing.
Doron Myersdorf, CEO of StoreDot, said: "The number one barrier to the adoption of electric vehicles is no longer cost, it is range anxiety. You’re either afraid that you’re going to get stuck on the highway or you’re going to need to sit in a charging station for two hours. But if the experience of the driver is exactly like fuelling [a petrol car], this whole anxiety goes away."
"The bottleneck to extra-fast charging is no longer the battery," he continued. "BP has 18,200 forecourts and they understand that, 10 years from now, all these stations will be obsolete, if they don’t repurpose them for charging – batteries are the new oil."
Currently, rapid DC chargers offer some of the quickest charging speeds. A Nissan Leaf, for example, can recharge 80 per cent of its battery in around an hour from a 50kW rapid charger, while a 7kw charger would take over seven hours.
A 50kW DC public charger will take an e-Niro or Soul EV from zero to 80 per cent in one hour 15 minutes, while a 100kW DC charger will do it in just 54 minutes.
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jeremy Taffel on 25 January 2021
"The batteries can be fully charged in five minutes but this would require higher-powered chargers than used today." Too True! An E-Niro has a range of 282 mile range and 80% gives it a range of 225 miles. So, a 100 mile range on a 100kW DC charger will take 24 minutes. To obtain the same charge in 5 minutes would require a 480kW DC charger if the same electrical efficiency was assumed. In other words 2 of these would require close to 1 MegaWatt, and a filling station with 12 "electric filling pumps" would take 5.7 Mega Watts which is equivalent to one mini gas power station I'm not saying its impossible - not so many years ago 100kW chargers and 282 mile range would have been considered to be science fiction... but we are going to need a very large number of wind turbines and solar panels to power the service stations.
Edited by HJ Editor on 10/03/2021 at 12:19
Plodding Along on 25 January 2021
Sounds like a game changing advance in battery technology - but it's still years down the line. Will consider a full EV only when all cars have 5 min charge batteries and the charging infrastructure to do it is in place and as ubiquitous as petrol stations are today.Until then it's still VroomVroom for me!
Gordon Waltham on 25 January 2021
Has anyone in charge of this electrification rollout, even bothered to calculate how much power a fairly small supermarket fuel station with say 10 pumps (charge points) would be using? With 10 x 50Kw charge points (for standard fast charge) that is a total of 500Kw, this equates to 2,174Amps, most houses in the UK have a 80Amp supply, with most houses probably using less than 40Amps each, one small fuel station will be using the same power as about 50/60 houses, and that will be used constantly all day, every day, multply that by all the fuel stations/charge points in the UK, whare is all that new power requirement coming from? I pretty sure it will come from dirty power stations and pylons blighting the country side. How does that help global warming?aethelwulf on 2 February 2021
It will come by cutting your electricioty to ypur house! That is why the government want us to have smart meters. The cars will get priority on those windless cloudy days . But they do have back up diesel power geenerators in the National Grid. So why not power the cars by diesel and cut our all this electric stuff? Well , I am not a politician so cannot deal with the twisted dealing that they do.
Tony Mahon on 26 January 2021
Another aspect of electric cars is that they could,in future, feed power back into the National Grid. The technology known as V2GModel Flyer on 26 January 2021
How can a car put power back into the grid ? a very long power cable . I don't think so .
Graham W5 on 1 February 2021
You just plug it in. I don't know to what extent existing charge points can take reverse charge but the principle it the same as for the Solar Panels on my roof (and anyone else who has solar panels) if the panels produce more electricity than I use (quite common on a sunny day in the summer) they put charge back into the grid (for which you get paid)
VINCENT MILLARD on 5 February 2021
They can put power into the Nat Grid now!
All this long lead stuff is a side show. Most Properties in the UK have access to external Power Points, as Most have Drives. It has been a planning requirement to have off Road Parking in New Builds for Years now.
So the Car is a Big Battery and is plugged into the Grid via your House. You just flip a switch.
Also Solar panels have come a long way too. You can get the type that will produce Electricity in very low light. And that is usable Electricity.
Also Governments make Decisions and we have to live with them, look at so called Smart Motorways!
So you will find the price of Fossil Fuel rocketing and disappearing from the forecourts.
on 26 January 2021
The “filling station” model is obsolete. Charging is going to take longer than filling a fuel tank for years, so people will change their habits. Most EV users will charge at home, but some may top up during other time-consuming activities e.g. while supermarket shopping, during hotel overnight stays, while watching a film at the cinema.Richard Waylen on 26 January 2021
OK so we've reached the point where EV's are suitable for short domestic runs, say a maximum of 200 miles round trip without recharging (I know some claim more, but allowing for holdups use of lights / air con etc) I have family located 170miles away, 340 miles round trip, no charging point and at 560 miles away have charging point but use it for their own hybrid (theory range 36miles electric practical range closer to 20 miles).. So I currently have a range of over 700miles on a tank of diesel. But if I has an ev, doing the 560 mile trip I would need to recharge at least twice, assuming charge points exist in the right places, adding at least 4 hours to the journey which them makes it impossible to do in one day..In my opinion EV's have a place, but only for short commuting journeys, where they really do ad environmental value and reduce pollutionLet's hope hydrogen powered cars and infrastructure hits the streets before 2030!... Also why not remove the TAX subsidy on EV's? If we did not have the excessive taxes on Petrol and Diesel, then IC engined cars would be cheaper to run than EV's
Graham W5 on 1 February 2021
Some EVs now have a range of over 300 miles. I don't see that as short commuting. You can buy EVs with a range of about 100 miles, it depends on your needs: if it is a second car for local use why pay for a 300 mile range your are never going to use. Not many people drive 300 miles without a break: even now you can add about 200 miles in 30 minutes with high speed charger. Ranges are still increasing so cars with longer ranges are likely to come to market before 2030. You can plug an EV into a normal 3 pin plug (I do) just takes longer than an EV charge point.
There are two issues with IC engines, 1) climate change, 2 pollution: it is estimated 30,000 people a year die in the UK due to air pollution which is primarily from car exhaust. Whilst new ICE cars are cleaner than older cars they are still not clean.
I am sure Hydrogen has it place but I doubt it will be adopted widely for private cars: it takes about 3 times the energy per mile for a Hydrogen car compared to an EV (similar efficiency to an ICE car), the Hydrogen is difficult to store, the technology more complex, the cars are more expensive and the running costs are higher. Also unlike an EV you cannot just plug it in at home, you have to go to a fuel station to fill up.
PFrancis on 26 January 2021
I live on the south coast and a lot of the pollution I feel is caused by traffic lights that are not needed or synct badly. In a lot of cases traffic lights are being installed when a roundabout could easily be put in and be a better option as the road is then open 24/7 instead of the stop go system of lights.I feel the councils are contributing to global warming through this system. Surely it is better to keep the traffic moving rather than churning out polluting fumes at the lights.
J. Mike Rose on 1 February 2021
I think you will find that most developed countries are trying to reduce traffic lights and install roundabouts - flyovers - cross road offset island junctions and even that 'Old fashioned idea of building new roads.' It seems that it is only the UK with it's backward road network that keep installing traffic lights as the easy and cheap option. This also helps to put you off driving into town along with expensive parking which in turn makes things more awkward for the High Street. Especially if you want to buy a few items that won't fit on your 'Bicycle carrier' or to far and/or to heavy to carry.
Damage1_1 on 26 January 2021
You raise a very good point. Can we create electricity that quickly at the moment? Would it be sustainable and even safe especially if it were alongside current fuels (fire/spark risk)?
H Chaudhri on 26 January 2021
Motorist bashing seems to be the most popular sport in the UK which then leads to silly ideas by traffic engineers to slow down vehicles almost to standstill which massively increases vehicle damage, exhaust fumes pollution and unnecessary global warming. It's time this motorist bashing crowd (including politicians) realise that in the modern world, vehicles are necessary to move people/goods and the more you block them, the more you harm your economy. Electric cars will not change this mindsetlesatwa5 on 26 January 2021
The article states that "The number one barrier to the adoption of electric vehicles is no longer cost, it is range anxiety".I disagree with that statement. For me current costs of electric vehicles (EVs) is right up there, if not ahead of, range anxiety.
Who are these people for whom the increased cost of EVs is a non-issue? I don't think it is the "average motorist", or anybody who currently struggles with IC car ownership - but has no choice because of the cost and availabilty of public transport.
I will make my EV purchase only when the time comes that purchase prices for EVs are more reasonable*, and charging infrastructure has been vastly expanded and mproved.
Watch this space - the same issues will arise when we are obliged to replace gas boliers with (very expensive) heat pumps!
*Subsidy has a part to play with both of the above issues to spread more fairly the finacial burden that comes with the need to respond to Global Warming.
aethelwulf on 2 February 2021
I agree entirely. Who ever said that is living on planet zog. Obvioulsy those whose companies buy their cars for them will have different views as EV are tax efficient , at the moment. Anyway, we have years of IC cars left as I make mine last . I have a 16 yer old Mondeo petrol which runs perfecty, and a 11 year old Piccanto. These are not clunkers but used every day, not in lockdown of course.
De Sisti on 2 February 2021
I also agree. I have an 18 year old BMW 320d E46 Touring, which my local indy BMW garage always pays me compliments regarding its condition. With only 122k miles on the clock I'm only asking it to serve me well for another 3 years or so.
Model Flyer on 26 January 2021
We wont be able to change it as big money has jumped in with promises of big cash handouts from governments . Our government seem mesmerised by the promises of companies like Tesla without thinking about the end user inability to charge from home or the infrastructure needed,.ie electric generating capacity. Banning any fossil fueled car , even hybrids by 2030 is ridiculous . Yes go electric by all means but at a rate that it can assimilated easily into our society .ardea on 26 January 2021
Far too early to go electric for private use, wait and see is best policy.At present hydrogen looks the best bet for quick refuel. Home charging is cheap for now, but how long before it's fuel taxed? It's like the introduction of video recording, where unfortunately the best system lost out, as betamax was slow with pre recorded entertainment. Hydrogen might loose out. But multiple points, at current charging rates, requires a substation at the garage, and fast charging, as above, a mini power station.
Solar panels in the old oil producing countries producing hydrogen might suit. Hydrogen is very easy to pump through pipelines at very low energy cost. Hydrogen storage and delivery to filling stations would be similar to present delivery, except at high pressure. No new generating capacity or major infrastructure reqired. No requirement for rare elements for the batteries (or 3rd world child miners). We already have a hydrogen fuel cell train and cars on trials. Ocean vessels next. This looks like a technology worth serious funding.
Till then battery is OK for city cars/vans, in cities, for short journey work.
ardea on 26 January 2021
One further thought. The fossil fuel companies' publish the overall vehicle fuel sales in the UK (~45billionL). Allowing for internal combusion enginge lack of efficiency, you can estimate the overall transporting energy use per annum. Add a few % as electric motors will be around 90-95% efficient, and you can see the overall consumption in kWHrs. It's around 6 large nuclear generators (the only large scale generator possibility) . We currently manage one in about 20 years. We should have begun the change in the 1970's if we are to meet a 2030 target.Then remember that we are currently very near to using full capacity of the generating system at the moment...
David Cleverley on 27 January 2021
In the long turn what damage to the batteries by constantly using these rapid or extra fast chargers.Phobie's Dad on 27 January 2021
Why not standardise EV batteries and make them easy to remove so that they could be exchanged at charging stations for a newly charged one in minutes?Well made point previously as regards the amount of energy that would potentially be needed at these charging stations amounting to many MWs. Will we have both the means of producing this amount of power and would the local electrical infrastructure be able to cope? Would local CHP engines combined with solar PV be an answer for these charging stations?
Using dirty fuel in the future is not an option!
Lots of questions - Discuss.
Jean Milburn on 4 February 2021
Wow!medview on 6 February 2021
EV batteries degrade with time and use so swapping out is unlikely to become viable.10 year old EV batteries are only good for recycling as they won't run the car. This means that a 10 year old EV will be worthless. Replacement battery packs cost upwards from £6k.
There's at least 100 cells in series in the typical EV battery. Each cell is around 4V. The battery pack is only as good as the weakest cell and they are never all the same with aging. Swapping out one bad cell only buys you a short term solution.
The yield from solar panels is approximately 1kw per square metre in ideal conditions, and perhaps 100w per square metre in winter.
The typical household solar installation would not charge a basic electric car in ideal conditions in one day.
straggler100 on 7 February 2021
EV battery life is projected to be much longer than 10 years. Have a look here for details:
Plus batteries rarely just fail. They tend to lose capacity gradually over time.
Each new/refreshed EV has a better battery - smaller/lighter/higher capacity/shorter charging time etc. With new technology coming on stream and more and more EVs being produced the economies of scale will kick in and batteries will become cheaper and longer lasting.
Edited by HJ Editor on 10/03/2021 at 12:19
medview on 13 February 2021
Most of the impressive high mileage small loss of capacity EV examples cover a short period like 3 or 5 years. I'm saying that time degrades the batteries as much as use and seasonal temperature extremes accelerate the aging.
I'm also referring to existing batteries in cars already on the road. The future always looks better...
I accept that the nature of EV battery failure is not usually dramatic (except fires).
As one cell in a chain becomes high impedance and incapable of high current throughput, so the whole chain of cells in series becomes compromised.
The loss of vehicle range suddenly becomes dramatic and this can be quite unexpected leaving the EV stranded.
I accept that as the battery pack becomes bigger, so the capacity margin holds up better however batteries over 30kw/h have only been mainstream (disregarding Teslas) for about 6 years.
In UK and Europe the manufacturers have little incentive to extend the battery lifespan through design. Even the 8 year warrantee is conditional.
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