The future of EV batteries spells faster charging and longer lifespans

The Israeli startup StoreDot is working on a new technology to significantly speed up the charging of electric vehicle batteries while also increasing their lifespan. StoreDot estimates that its battery loses nothing in performance, even after more than 1,500 charging cycles.
The future of EV batteries spells faster charging and longer lifespans
©StoreDot

Currently, this ultra-fast charging technology can charge the equivalent of 160 km in just five minutes. The idea is to achieve an equivalent charge in three minutes by 2028, and in just two minutes by 2032.

StoreDot is an expert in so-called extreme fast charging (XFC) for electric vehicles. And while this demonstration has practical advantages, it also has an ecological dimension, since the longer the batteries remain functional, the less frequently they will need to be changed and therefore discarded. The ultimate goal of this research is therefore to reduce the environmental impact of the future production of batteries for electric vehicles.

The firm’s development program has already produced batteries capable of exceeding 1,200 consecutive fast-charge cycles without damage or loss of performance, unlike the fast-charge lithium-ion batteries currently in use. StoreDot even estimates that these performances can remain relatively high, right up to 1,700 cycles.

This performance level is ensured by technology based on patented active nanoparticles that accelerate the diffusion of ions and replace the traditional graphite anode of lithium-ion batteries, all optimized by artificial intelligence. Here, algorithms automatically disconnect an overheated cell before reconnecting it once the problem is solved. This avoids excessive damage to the cell and to surrounding cells. It also significantly reduces the risk of fire.

The lifespan of electric batteries is a fundamental issue as the automotive market shifts from the combustion engine to electric vehicles. This is why many companies and manufacturers are currently working on alternatives to the traditional lithium-ion battery.

The Chinese company GAC has even become the first auto manufacturer to market a model equipped with a battery based on graphene, extracted from graphite, itself derived from carbon. Its main advantage is that it is faster to charge, but also more resistant and therefore less prone to wear. For its part, the American startup Our Next Energy (ONE) has developed a battery that can run for more than 1,200 km on a single charge. It hopes to market its first products by the end of 2023.

Check out StoreDot extreme fast charging in this video: youtu.be/2gQIGUSsCyA