New technology may give electric cars more miles per minute of charging

Researchers have designed a thin plastic membrane that stops rechargeable batteries from discharging when not in use and allows for rapid recharging.

The technology controls how charge flows inside a battery, and was inspired by how living cell membranes transport proteins in the body. It could find applications in high powered supercapacitors for electric cars. In the journal Energy & Environmental Science, the Ohio State University engineers describe the smart membrane that they hope will enable the development of a new category of fast-charging and powerful batteries called “redox transistor batteries” for automobiles that will travel farther on a single charge.

Today’s very best eco-friendly cars can travel around 200 miles after an 8-hour charge, while gas-powered cars can cover the same distance after only one minute spent at the pump. The researchers hope their new technology can boost electric car batteries to provide up to tens of miles per minute of charge.

Read more at Ohio State University

Image Credit: Ohio State University

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