Some batteries technically can be recharged in 5-minutes. StoreDot and BP performed a demonstration of such charging of a scooter.
StoreDot and BP boasted this week that they successfully demonstrated the world’s first full recharge of an electric scooter in five minutes.
Charging at such a pace requires both – the battery that can withstand charging at 12C rate and the charging system that can provide high power. For example, 5 kWh of battery capacity can be recharged using 5 kW in one hour, but a 5-minute recharge needs 60 kW of power (stronger and more expensive external charger, as well as proper plugs/cables).
StoreDot and BP (which invested in StoreDot year ago) didn’t reveal any details, besides the range of the scooter of 70 km (43.5 miles).
“Yesterday for the first time, StoreDot and its strategic partner BP demonstrated a live, full-charge of a two-wheel electric vehicle (EV) in just five minutes. An electric scooter equipped with StoreDot’s ultra-fast charging battery demonstrated that this technology can charge an electric vehicle in only five minutes. This proof-of-concept represents a major milestone for ultra-fast charging battery technology and its game-changing potential to accelerate the adoption of EVs.
StoreDot’s ultra-fast charging battery technology offers the potential to bring electric vehicle charging times down to current refueling times. When coupled with the required ultra-fast charging infrastructure, it is expected to dramatically improve the EV ownership experience and play a key role in the earlier adoption of EVs – reducing the environmental impact of transportation as a result.”
“BP’s Advanced Mobility Unit (AMU) is committed to using its energy expertise to develop the fastest, most convenient network of home, destination and forecourt charging in key locations across the world.”
“StoreDot will continue to work with BP, and its other key strategic partners, to progress the development and deployment of its ultra-fast charging battery technology across industry.”
StoreDot reportedly intends to begin selling five-minute charging systems for mobile phones in the second half of 2020.
Small EVs could be the second step, while in the longer term the company hints at four-wheel vehicles, but we are not sure about the feasibility of charging some 50-100 kWh battery packs in 5 minutes using 600-1,200 kW of power.
Jon Salkeld, technology director for BP’s AMU said:
“Within today’s society of time poverty, a five-minute charge enabled by ultra-fast charging batteries and infrastructure, can make an EV as attractive to users as a petrol or diesel one,” explains Dr. Doron Myersdorf, CEO of StoreDot. “By using a two-wheel electric vehicle from Torrot, we have demonstrated the transformative potential of this technology for the first time in a real-life application, which will be applied to four-wheel electric vehicles in the future. This is an important milestone for the industry, and we will continue to evolve our technology in close collaboration with our partner BP to help in EV adoption.”
Jon Salkeld, technology director for BP’s AMU said:
“Ultra-fast charging is at the heart of BP’s electrification strategy, which is why we invested in StoreDot last year, and why we are supporting this technology demonstration today. For the industry as a whole, this demonstration proves that an ultra-fast charging world will soon be possible and supports our goal of helping to create the infrastructure and collaboration framework required to facilitate a wider global technological shift to electric vehicles.”