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Experimental Batteries Charge In Minutes

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the but-i-want-it-now dept.

Zothecula writes "Of all the criticisms of electric vehicles, probably the most commonly-heard is that their batteries take too long to recharge – after all, limited range wouldn't be such a big deal if the cars could be juiced up while out and about, in just a few minutes. Well, while no one is promising anything, new batteries developed at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign do indeed look like they might be a step very much in the right direction. They are said to offer all the advantages of capacitors and batteries, in one unit."

3 of 335 comments (clear)

  1. Wow, what will THAT outlet look like? by elrous0 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Considering the hassle I had just getting a 220-volt outlet to power my dryer installed at my house, I'd hate to think what the electrician is going to say when I tell him I want an outlet that can deliver enough power to drive my car 100 miles--and deliver it in just a few minutes. Poor bastard is going to have a heart attack.

    I apologize in advance for my lack of electrical knowledge. But would anything resembling modern standard household wiring even be able to handle that?

    --
    SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
    1. Re:Wow, what will THAT outlet look like? by Tim+C · · Score: 5, Funny

      MMmmm, fried children...

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      It's official. Most of you are morons.
    2. Re:Wow, what will THAT outlet look like? by MightyYar · · Score: 4, Informative

      I apologize in advance for my lack of electrical knowledge. But would anything resembling modern standard household wiring even be able to handle that?

      Older houses are often wired for 60 Amps, and they don't stand a chance.

      Some newer houses with big AC units go as high as 200 Amps. More typical I think is 100 Amps. The Nissan Leaf has a 24 kW-h pack. To "quick charge" that in an hour with 100% efficiency would require 24kW (duh). At 240 V that is 24kW / 240V = 100 Amps. So a newish house could do it if it had a separate 100 A 240V feed just for charging the car. I figure that would set you back about $3000, so it's not out of the question. :)

      More likely, you'd pull up to a charging station that has a big industrial feed at a higher voltage so that you don't need a copper wire the size of your arm.

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      W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.