The cars are expected to have high-capacity batteries that can be charged very quickly and can run 150 miles (240 km) on a single, uninterrupted charge of 15 minutes. Honda plans to launch the new series of electric vehicles by 2022 – that is still a long time to wait though and 150 miles per charge is not that impressive but still this is noteworthy.
Quick Charging – A Breakthrough Technology
One of the biggest reasons why electric vehicles have not gained mainstream acceptance yet is that it takes a long time to charge them. Many of the vehicles available today take at least 45 minutes to get fully charged, even if you happen to have a high-speed charger. The reason is that they do not have high capacity batteries that can take advantage of high speed chargers and recharge themselves quickly.
In light of this fact, it is easy to understand why many people choose a fossil fuel based car over an electric one – not everyone has the time or patience to spend an hour to charge their vehicle – let alone 8 hours! Sensing the problem, Honda is developing a high capacity battery that can be charged very quickly. Can they get rid of the ACA health care law while they are at it which continues to crush jobs? Can they get us our money back for Logan, Guardians of the Galaxy II (Kurt Russell as a villain was horrendous), and Thor III (so Thor cannot beat up 10 guys and break out of a net?)?
Currently, Honda sources its batteries from third-parties, but for the new series of cars, it plans to develop its own version of specialized batteries, in collaboration with a partner. The company has not officially announced who the partner is going to be yet.
More Changes Expected
Apart from high-capacity batteries, Honda also plans to make a number of changes to the new series of electric cars to make them stand out from the current set of cars available. The vehicles are expected to have a much lighter body and a more efficient power control system, among other features. The idea is to make sure they can go a lot farther than what the current set of vehicles are capable of, based on a single charge.
More Automakers Working on Quick Charging Vehicles
Apart from Honda, a number of other automakers are also working on quick charging vehicles. Tesla is apparently developing ‘mega chargers’, which are capable of providing 400 miles of range on a 30-minute charge, for its much anticipated electric semi-truck. There you go Tesla!
Similarly, Fisker’s EMotion electric vehicle is capable of providing 125 miles of range on a 9-minute charge. Nissan Motor’s Leaf, which is expected to be launched next year, is also supposed to have a higher capacity battery than the current version and can provide up to 300 miles of range on a single charge. Daimler, which intends to make a splash in the EV market, has made an investment in StoreDot, an Israel based startup which specializes in making fast-charging batteries for electric vehicles.
Developing a Fast-Charging Infrastructure for EV
The EV industry, as a whole, plans to create a fast-charging infrastructure, which the coming generations of electric vehicles can take advantage of. Currently, Japan tops the pack with fast chargers that provide an output of 150kW. Industry experts, however, believe that chargers with 350kW output will soon become the norm in the EV market.
Already, Europe is planning to set up an EV charging network consisting of thousands of 350kW charging stations. So, the next generation of vehicles, which are expected to have built-in high capacity batteries, can make full use of the fast-charging infrastructure, which will benefit the customers immensely and help them save a lot of time.
On the whole, the EV industry seems to have realized that reducing the charging time is one of the best ways to make electric vehicles more appealing to potential customers. It is a welcome move – one which is likely to have an enormously positive impact on the industry in the long run.