Swiss startup Morand has developed a new battery technology that it claims can charge an electric vehicle (EV) battery in only 72 seconds.
The new technology – called eTechnology – is a hybrid system that uses technology from traditional batteries and hybrid ultracapacitors (HUC) cells from Sech SA. Morand states that a prototype of its eTechnology solution was able to recharge to 80% in just 72 seconds, 9% in 120 seconds, and 10% in 2.5 minutes at up to 900 A/360 kW. The company has tested the eTechnology prototype over more than 50,000 cycles and claims it shows potential for retaining power over far more charge/discharge cycles than a traditional lithium-ion battery. They also found that the technology works efficiently even in extreme temperatures, unlike conventional EV batteries. Independent testing was also performed by Geo Technology.
eTechnology would not be suitable for the 100-kWh+ battery packs used in the longer-range EVs, but Morand states that it would work well for applications that require fast, semi-frequent charges of about five minutes or less – such as small city cars, drones, and e-bikes. The company estimates that an e-bike with a 6-Ah battery could be recharged in six minutes at a lower rate of 3.2 kW – which could make e-bikes a more viable option for many people.
“This is an incredible breakthrough in energy storage systems that has the potential to revolutionize multiple industries and greatly advance a number of mobility businesses,” said Benoît Morand, founder and managing director. “With much faster recharging, new possibilities are opened across the spectrum of transport, devices and activities. I believe that eTechnology will soon find extensive adoption as the go-to solution for certain applications. With extreme durability and astonishingly fast charge times, our patented eTechnology has a vast number of possible applications.”