24M unveils new tech to charge batteries four times faster

Battery specialist 24M Technologies has revealed new technology which could help EV batteries charge four times faster using existing infrastructure.

The US-based firm says it has developed a new electrolyte, called Eternalyte, which vastly improves the charging performance of batteries and could allow for 186 miles of range to be added in just four minutes.

What’s more, it says it can deliver these charging times using existing lithium-ion batteries rather than solid state cells, and with the current crop of ultra-rapid DC chargers rather than relying on ultra-powerful megawatt systems.

Megawatt chargers deliver up to three times the power of most regular ultra-rapid devices but today’s 800V passenger cars aren’t compatible with them, with even the highest rated only able to accept up to 525kW.

BYD recently announced that it would use a megawatt “flash charging” system to add a 1.2 miles per second to the batteries of its 1,000V Han L and Tang L models. However the required chargers are currently only operational in its native China.

Getting technical, 24M’s new electrolyte triples the ionic conductivity of a battery – the rate at which ions flow between the anode and cathode. The higher a battery’s ionic conductivity, the faster the charge rate. And 24M says it can do this without compromising energy density, regardless of the battery’s chemistry.

24M also says that Eternalyte helps address the impact of cold weather on battery performance. According to its experts, while conventional batteries lose about 25% of their capacity at 0°C and almost all capacity at much lower temperatures, Eternalyte retains essentially all capacity at 0°C and more than 80% capacity at -40°C.

Naoki Ota, president and CEO at 24M Technologies said: “24M’s Eternalyte electrolyte breakthrough solves some of the biggest challenges of lithium-ion batteries today. Rapid charge, superior low-temperature performance and great cycle life with lithium-metal and other high-energy density chemistries.

“Eternalyte provides outstanding performance for applications ranging from EVs to consumer products. It paves the way for next-gen batteries, including lithium metal, with 1,600-kilometre driving range and years of reliable performance.”