Israeli li-ion battery company StoreDot and Swedish automaker Polestar have just exhibited an innovative extreme fast charging (XFC) battery tech that enables a 10-minute electric vehicle charging.
StoreDot & Polestar deliver world’s first EV 10-min charge
According to the press release, Polestar and StoreDot successfully charged the Polestar 5 prototype’s 77kWh battery pack equipped with the XFC high energy (300Wh/kg) silicon-dominant battery cells from 10%-80% in just below 10 minutes.
It reportedly yielded a consistent charge rate of more than 310kW and a peak of over 370kW during the testing. Impressively, the battery pack did not transcend the target operation temperatures the companies’ engineers set.
This groundbreaking initiative demonstrated StoreDot XFC battery tech’s drop-in ability, allowing seamless integration in an electric vehicle. It also enables extreme fast charging with existing charging infrastructure instead of proprietary chargers.
“By eliminating charging times that were previously an obstacle, StoreDot’s XFC battery cells combined with our cutting-edge product development and battery engineering have unlocked new frontiers for electric mobility.”
Polestar CEO
Silicon-based anode vs. Conventional graphite anodes
StoreDot’s silicon-based anode technology offers a significant advantage for electric vehicles using its battery tech.
For context, silicon-based anode tech can continuously improve energy density and charging rate for some more battery generations.
On the other hand, conventional graphite anodes cannot support any more improvements because they are already entering their performance limits.
That said, StoreDot’s groundbreaking silicon structure enables continuous innovation in key areas, such as extreme fast charging.
“With our extreme fast charging technology, you can add 200 miles in under 10 minutes. This breakthrough revolutionizes EV ownership experience by eradicating the barrier of range and charging anxiety once and for all. Drivers can now truly travel long distances with the same freedom and convenience as traditional petrol-powered vehicles.”
StoreDot CEO Dr. Doron Myersdorf,
About Polestar 5
The Polestar 5 prototype is the first electric vehicle model to test StoreDot’s XFC battery technology.
The Polestar 5 electric sedan will serve as the brand’s fifth EV offering when it hits the market. Polestar derived the model from the Precept concept, proving that the automaker is among the few that really uses its concepts to develop production models.
In hindsight, Polestar formally debuted the model’s production prototype version in late 2021. It featured carriage doors and a “Smart Zone” grille with numerous ADAS sensors. A camouflaged prototype appeared at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July last year. It touted an output of 884 horsepower and 800V architecture to enable extreme fast charging speeds.
The remarkable results of StoreDot and Polestar’s testing signify another advancement on the XFC battery’s route toward commercialization. It showcases the technology’s maturity, durability, and stability, potentially accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles.
