Thermal modulation breakthrough promises rapid recharge for EV batteries

The combination of a shorter charge time and more energy acquired for longer travel range was announced on October 12, 2022 in Nature.

“The need for smaller, faster-charging batteries is greater than ever,” said Chao-Yang Wang, the William E. Diefenderfer Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Penn State and lead author on the study. “There are simply not enough batteries and critical raw materials, especially those produced domestically, to meet anticipated demand.”

Wang said that the shift to EVs will require resolution of two challenges: they are too slow to recharge and too large to be efficient and affordable.

“Our fast-charging technology works for most energy-dense batteries and will open a new possibility to downsize electric vehicle batteries from 150 to 50kWh without causing drivers to feel range anxiety,” said Wang said in a statement. “The smaller, faster-charging batteries will dramatically cut down battery cost and usage of critical raw materials such as cobalt, graphite and lithium, enabling mass adoption of affordable electric cars.”