Volvo promises 30% faster charging as it partners with Breathe

Volvo has signed a new partnership with battery specialist Breathe, which it says will cut charging times in future cars by up to 30%.

The Swedish firm

is the first car company to gain access to Breathe Battery Technologies’s algorithm-enabled charging software and intends to use it to improve the charging experience for its customers.

London-based Breathe is a battery management software specialist which has developed software that allows adaptive charging. Rather than working from pre-set rules around battery health, the technology monitors the battery health and dynamically controls the charging in real-time. It says this results in significantly shorter charging times while minimising the risk of lithium plating, which harms battery longevity.

Volvo says that using the new system will allow it to reduce the benchmark 10-80% DC charge time by between 15% and 30% while maintaining the same energy density and range. It also says that the faster charging will last across the full battery life cycle without impacting its health status.

“The investment and commercial partnership with Breathe helps us address a familiar pain point for electric car customers and makes our charging performance even more competitive,” said Ann-Sofie Ekberg, CEO of the Volvo Cars Tech Fund, which facilitated the investment.

“Faster charging times, in the range where customers typically fast charge, represent a major step in the right direction as we continue to boost electric mobility and make it available to more people.”

Dr Ian Campbell, CEO of Breathe Battery Technologies, added: “We’re very pleased with this investment and sourcing agreement with Volvo Cars and support their exciting journey towards full electrification.

“Deploying our technology at scale on Volvo’s next generation EV platform opens doors to innovative car designs and performance improvements. We share a profound passion for electric mobility, and convenient, fast charging is one of the cornerstone enablers for the future we strive towards.”