Breakthrough in electric car batteries: 500 miles of range with 12 minutes of charging time

Researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST) have developed a new liquid electrolyte that prevents dendrite growth in lithium metal batteries, which differ from conventional lithium-ion models in that they use pure lithium instead of graphite. This difference gives them a higher energy density, which translates to a longer range for the same weight. However, until now, these batteries have been hampered by the formation of dendrites, crystalline structures that form during charging and can cause short circuits. The new liquid electrolyte solves this problem by promoting the uniform deposition of lithium ions on the anode surface. This prevents the formation of weak spots where dendrites would otherwise form.

Record charging time and range

In laboratory tests, KAIST researchers were able to charge a battery from 5 to 70% in just 12 minutes. This corresponds to a range of approximately 800 kilometers (just under 500 miles). Performance remained stable over more than 350 charging cycles. In a more powerful version, an 80% charge was achieved in 17 minutes. Professor Hee Tak Kim highlights in the publication: "This paves the way for broad adoption of electric vehicles."

Comparison with today's electric cars

Current production models such as the Tesla Model 3 and the Hyundai Ioniq 6 support fast charging capacities of between 200 and 250 kW at modern HPC (high power charger) stations. In practice, they achieve charging times of around 20 to 30 minutes for a charge from 10 to 80%. Ranges between 400 and 600 kilometers (250 - 370 miles) are currently the norm, depending on battery variants and driving conditions.

800 kilometers (500 miles) in 12 minutes

The values ​​achieved in the lab for lithium-metal batteries significantly exceed these figures: A range of 800 kilometers with a charging time of 12 minutes would correspond to an effective charging power of more than 400 kW. This would bring electric cars close to the refueling time of gasoline or diesel vehicles for the first time.

Advantages for electric mobility

The high energy densities of lithium metal batteries could make it possible to reduce the weight of vehicle batteries or achieve a longer range with the same weight. For end users, this means both shorter charging times and driving ranges comparable to conventional vehicles, thus overcoming a key hurdle in the everyday usability of electric cars.

Hurdles on the road to series production

Despite the impressive lab results, challenges remain. The safety of lithium metal anodes must be guaranteed under real-world conditions, and the industrial production of special electrolytes may be costly. It also remains to be seen how the batteries will perform in long-term tests with higher cycle counts. Only when these questions have been answered will car manufacturers be able to utilize the technology on a large scale.

Outlook

The results, presented in Nature Energy, mark a significant step toward more powerful electric cars. If the technology can be transferred safely and economically to series production, this could fundamentally change electric mobility in the coming years.