This electric sports car breaks a record and recharges from 10 to 80% in less than five minutes

New batteries in a prototype of electric sports car They have gone from 10% to 80% charge in less than five minutes, twice the speed of vehicles on the roads today.

In addition to these ultra-fast charging times, these batteries developed by Nyobolt – a spin-off company from the University of Cambridge – do not suffer from the degradation problems associated with lithium-ion batteries.

Testing of the first working Nyobolt EV prototype will be used to validate the company’s battery performance in a high-output environment, Cambridge said in a statement.

Cambridge-based Nyobolt has used its proprietary carbon and metal oxide anode materials, low-impedance cell design, integrated power electronics and software controls to create high-energy-density batteries and charging systems. These support the electrification of applications such as heavy-duty off-road trucks, electric vehicles, robotics and consumer devices that demand high power and fast recharge cycles.

Initial vehicle testing using 350kW (800V) DC fast chargers confirmed that the Nyobolt EV’s battery can be charged from 10% to 80% in four minutes and 37 seconds, with a full charge enabling the prototype to achieve a range of 250 kilometres. That’s twice the speed of most of today’s fastest-charging vehicles.

Independent testing of the technology confirmed that Nyobolt’s most durable and sustainable batteries can achieve over 4,000 rapid charge cycles, or 965,000 kilometres, while maintaining over 80% battery capacity retention. This is far beyond the warranties of much larger EV batteries found on the road today.

Furthermore, the compact size of the battery pack enables energy-efficient electric vehicles that are cheaper to buy and operate, and crucially use fewer resources to manufacture.

Nyobolt’s battery assembly plans could be in low-volume production within a year, ramping up to 1,000 packs by 2025. Nyobolt’s flexible manufacturing model allows for volumes of up to two million cells per year.

Nyobolt’s technology is based on a decade of battery research led by scientists Clare Grey and Sai Shivareddy, who invented cutting-edge supercapacitors. Key to the company’s ability to deliver ultra-fast charging without impacting battery life are its low-impedance cells that generate less heat, making it easier to manage such high power levels during charging. Its anode materials in lithium-ion battery cells enable faster transfer of electrons between the anode and cathode.

Nyobolt is in talks with eight other vehicle manufacturers about adopting its technology. Along with automotive applications, Nyobolt’s fast-charging technology will be used in robotics this year.