Israeli company StoreDot has manufactured the first battery for electric vehicles that can be charged in just five minutes, a step toward making refueling as fast as cars at a gasoline station.
The lithium ion samples were produced by StoreDot’s strategic partner in China, Eve Energy, and have been used as a demonstration in a two-wheeled scooter.
The breakthrough "paves the way for the launch of our second-generation, silicon-dominant anode prototype battery for electric vehicles later this year," StoreDot CEO Doron Myersdorf said in a statement.
StoreDot said that rapid charging batteries could overcome range and charging anxiety, a critical barrier to mainstream EV adoption.
However, batteries that charge this quickly probably will not be achievable at scale for years with existing charging infrastructure. Degradation relating to use of fast-charging also is an under appreciated issue.
“This is a huge positive to the industry, making rapid charging on the go more convenient and reducing a huge barrier to adoption,” David Watson, chief executive officer of EV-charging company Ohme Technologies. “But these benefits will take a while to come on stream.”
StoreDot's strategic investors include BP, Daimler, Samsung Ventures and TDK.
