A new generation of battery technology promises to cut charging times in half and reduce the weight of electric cars.
An Israeli maker of electric car batteries claims its next-generation power packs could use radical technology that would cut charging times in half, while offering a weight and cost advantage over existing batteries.
In a press release, Israel-based company StoreDot detailed its new ‘Extreme Fast Charging (XFC)’ battery pack, claiming that the new technology can be rapidly charged to extend the driving range of an electric car by up to 100 miles. after only five minutes.
According to StoreDot, the XFC battery uses a silicon anode instead of the metal oxides found in a traditional lithium-ion battery, providing faster charging and better drive range per kilowatt-hour (kWH), the efficiency rating of an electric car, compared to existing technology.
An infographic shared by the company (below) shows a pair of electric cars, one with a lithium-ion battery and the other with a silicon battery.
The lithium-ion battery powered car has a range of 483 km with its 80 kWh pack, while the silicon battery achieves more than 320 km of range with its 50 kWh pack.
Based on calculations of Drivethe two cars show consumption figures of 16.6kWh per 100km and 15.6kWh per 100km, respectively.
Using an identical charger, StoreDot claims the 50kWh silicon battery charges from 10 to 80 percent in less than 10 minutes (or 3.5kWh per minute), while the 80kWh pack takes 40 minutes to charge at the same rate. capacity (1.4kWh per minute). ).
Increased silicon battery efficiency could also allow automakers to install smaller, lighter batteries in their electric vehicles, reducing stress on brakes, suspension and tires.
StoreDot CEO Doron Myersdorf says his new silicon battery technology could cut the cost of building a new car by as much as $4,500 ($6,700 AU), depending on market conditions.
“Radically reduced charging times will allow automakers to rethink how they approach battery size and range,” Myersdorf said in a press release.
“When charging times are no longer an issue, it makes much more sense to go with smaller battery packs.”
The cost savings could transform the affordability of electric vehicles and the sustainability of batteries, with better car efficiency, fewer raw materials needed, and less end-of-life recycling in the vehicle.”
It’s worth noting that this isn’t the first time StoreDot has made claims about revolutionary electric car battery technology.
In January 2015, yahoo reported that Myersdorf said StoreDot was “just a year away” from developing a system that could charge an electric car in three minutes, equivalent to filling a tank of gasoline.
The executive made it clear that his and his company’s claims had not been peer-reviewed at the time, though StoreDot now claims to have more than 15 automotive brands backing its research, including Polestar, Volvo, Vinfast and Daimler.
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