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A Japanese company is refining a technology that charges the battery pack in electric cars 50 percent full in three minutes, according to Green Car Advisor.
The system, which is about the size of a gasoline pump, could be a boon for the electric vehicle market, where long charge times for vehicle battery packs are a major obstacle to widespread adoption of EVs.
Yokohama-based JFE Engineering Corporation, which hopes to put the charger on sale this year, said it costs 40 percent less than similar systems, and runs off of a standard electrical circuit. Other high-voltage quick chargers require electrical capacity not available at most homes or businesses.
JFE’s charger uses a normal electrical source to store electricity overnight (when it’s cheapest) and then deliver it in a big burst when needed. The system would require software changes to electrical vehicles to take advantage of the charging technology.
Charging an electric vehicle battery with a standard 120-volt plug takes about 6-8 hours, depending on the size of the battery. Chargers on a 240-volt circuit (which is what a washing machine uses) reduce that time, but not enough to make a long distance trip in an EV practical.
But if an electric car could get half a tank in 3 minutes, it could substantially reduce “range anxiety” and make EVs much more attractive.
This story was first reported by Nikkei (subscription required).
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