A rechargeable battery in 90 seconds

Posted On: October 11, 2021

A lithium-carbon concept that combines the advantages of supercapacitors with those of lithium-ion

20 kW charged in 1 min 30, 100,000 charge cycles

The time required to recharge an electric vehicle forces users to have different consumptions by recharging their vehicle as soon as possible to avoid running out of fuel. Solving this problem is not easy, because in addition to the development and implementation of infrastructures capable of operating ultra-fast charging, the battery must also be able to take a strong charge quickly without risk of undermining its integrity. And that’s tricky for lithium-ion ones. It is for this reason that motorized two-wheeler manufacturers are now turning to an alternative by pooling in the development of interchangeable batteries rather than high-performance batteries.

But a heavyweight in automotive equipment, the Mahle Group, which weighed more than € 12 billion in turnover through 2019, has just unveiled a revolutionary new battery concept through its UK-based subsidiary Mahle Powertrains.

In fact, the company’s engineers have developed, with Allotrope Energy, a carbon-lithium battery concept that supposedly offers the advantages of supercapacitors and lithium-ion batteries. In general terms, this concept promises a faster load, taking the same time as a full tank of fuel, without using rare metals, fully recyclable and without risks of use.

More specifically, the company announces that this way a 20 kW battery could be charged in just 90 seconds. Furthermore, this Li-C battery does not suffer from the thermal degradation effects of Li-ion and remains stable at high temperatures. It also promises a lifespan of 100,000 charge cycles.

For Mahle, this type of technology would also make it possible to reduce the size of the batteries in our vehicles and thus save a little weight, but also limit costs and promote the development of the electric vehicle.

On the other hand, no date has been advanced for large-scale production or commercialization. Hopefully this promising project will come true one day.