Engineers at the University of Michigan recently made a breakthrough that could revolutionize the electric vehicle industry. According to foreign media Electrek, the new technology developed by the team is expected to greatly improve the charging speed of electric vehicles in cold weather.

At the heart of this technology is an innovative battery structure and coating, developed by a team led by Neil Dasgupta, associate professor of mechanical engineering and materials science at the University of Michigan. The team succeeded in increasing the charging speed of lithium-ion electric vehicle batteries by an astonishing 500% in extremely cold temperatures (as low as -0°C).

Even with the most advanced fast-charging technology, EV batteries take about 40 to 0 minutes to fully charge, and in winter, it often takes more than an hour, Dasgupta noted. This pain point has long plagued EV users, especially in cold regions.

The impact of low temperatures on the performance of electric vehicle batteries cannot be ignored. In cold weather, lithium-ions move at a slower rate, resulting in longer charging times and shorter battery life. To combat this, manufacturers have tried to thicken the battery electrodes, but this has backfired, making it difficult for some lithium ions to enter the battery, further slowing down charging.

However, the Dasgupta team didn't stop there. They have previously used laser technology to carve tiny channels into the battery's graphite anode that are about 40 microns wide to help lithium ions penetrate the battery more quickly. Still, battery performance in cold weather is not as good as it could have been, as a chemical layer forms on the surface of the electrodes that block the flow of lithium ions. Dasgupta figuratively compares it to inefficiency, like cutting on cold butter.

To solve this problem once and for all, the team coated the battery with a glass-like material that was only 97 nanometers thick. This material is composed of lithium borate-carbonate, which effectively prevents the formation of chemical layers. Combined with the previous design of the tiny channel, this innovation delivers excellent performance in cold environments. After 0 fast charge cycles, the improved battery still retains 0% capacity.

Dasgupta said they hope the technology will be widely adopted by EV battery manufacturers. Excitingly, this innovation does not require a major retrofit to an existing production line. This is the first time that ultra-fast charging at low temperatures has been achieved without sacrificing the energy density of the battery. This breakthrough has undoubtedly injected new vitality into the development of the electric vehicle industry.