TU/e students supercharge EV charging with revolutionary technology

17 July 2023

Unravel the impossible, thread by thread. That's exactly what the students at TU/e (Technische Universiteit Eindhoven) have been doing with their ground-breaking electric race car project. Their secret weapon is the 'Revolution,' an electric race car charging faster than you can devour a Snickers bar at the pit stop. Say hello to the new era of electric long-distance racing.

Now, what's the big deal with this Revolution? Oh, nothing much. Just that it goes from zero to fully juiced in a heart-thumping 3 minutes and 56 seconds. The battery pack of this beast boasts a charging power of 322 kW, a total capacity of 29.2 kWh, and a cruising range of 155 miles. If you're not into numbers, here's what it translates to: record-shattering fast. It's like having Usain Bolt on wheels - minus the dramatic pre-race posing.

To put this in context, we're talking about a 66% improvement in charging time over the past two-and-a-half years. Imagine that for a second - two years ago, it would have been a solid 12-minute pit stop. Now, it's down to the time it takes to grab a quick bathroom break. And we thought microwaving popcorn was fast.

And let's not forget the all-nighters, the passion, the occasional dragging of mattresses to the lab, and the mad dash to the UK for an essential part - all in a year's work for the 30-strong team of future innovators. They've dealt with the Queen, ministers, CEOs, and a global pandemic. And yet, they still found time to innovate. Well, that's the spirit of a true racer, isn't it?

The brilliance behind their achievement is a proprietary cooling technology. Yes, in the quest for speed, our good old battery packs tend to get a little hot under the collar. This leads to degradation and loss of range - the very kryptonite for EVs. Enter InMotion's innovative solution: cooling the battery at the cellular level. The idea is simple but revolutionary - they run coolant between each and every cell, keeping them chilled and efficient, and allowing the battery to be charged quickly and repeatedly without taking a hit. The secret sauce behind the system remains a mystery, but the results are evident - after multiple tests, they saw no degradation, even after 24 hours of charging at race pace.

A piece of technology, this revolutionary doesn't just stay confined to the race track. The team at InMotion is also aiming to bring this game-changing technology to everyday electric vehicles. Making EVs more accessible and easier to use? Now, that's what we call a win-win.

The endgame for these trailblazers? They're eyeing the big league - the Le Mans 24-hour race, often hailed as the "Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency." Because what's a better proving ground for their technology than the toughest conditions a race can throw at them?

Via