Scientists make incredible breakthrough that could revolutionize electric vehicles: 'Increasing capacity'

One of the most frustrating adjustments you have to make today when owning an electric vehicle is scheduling the time to charge it.

Even those public high-speed fast chargers take between 15 and 60 minutes to charge your vehicle's battery to 80% capacity. What if your next charge was faster than popping into the store for a quick snack? By the time you grab a coffee and scroll through a few texts, your ride's charge has gone from nearly zero to 100%. This future is closer than you think.

A study out of Kiel University, cited by Interesting Engineering, outlines how lithium-sulfur batteries could charge electric vehicles in as little as 12 minutes. If that holds up, this technology might put range anxiety and slow-charging frustration in the rearview for good.

Researchers from Germany, India, and Taiwan analyzed hundreds of studies and put together a plan. Their focus? Speed and safety. One major goal is to replace the heavy, expensive, and ethically messy metals found in today's lithium-ion batteries — things like cobalt and nickel — with sulfur, which is lighter, safer, and far easier to source.

It all starts with a sulfur cathode paired with a lithium-metal anode. That combination theoretically offers about 10 times more energy density than what's under the hood of most electric cars today. According to the study, published in Advanced Energy Materials, "Our analysis shows that fast charging times of less than 30 minutes, and in some cases under 15 minutes, are realistic, while simultaneously increasing capacity."

But this isn't a plug-and-play swap. Sulfur doesn't conduct electricity well on its own. To get around that, researchers are combining it with materials such as graphene and carbon nanotubes to move electrons faster. They're also using additives — think metal oxides and other catalysts — to keep chemical reactions from going haywire and degrading the battery.

Then there's the "shuttle effect." That's when certain chemical compounds drift between the battery's two ends and cause energy loss. It's one reason lithium-sulfur batteries haven't hit the road yet. However, the team is working on fixes, including new battery separators and denser electrolytes to hold everything in place.

The scientists are also targeting another headache: dendrites. These needle-like structures can grow on the battery's lithium-metal surface and, if left unchecked, trigger short circuits or fires. Researchers are experimenting with protective coatings and 3D-engineered anodes to stop them from forming.

Early prototypes already show promise, hitting energy densities of 2 milliamp-hours per square centimeter, according to the study. But as lead author Jakob Offermann put it, making this technology safe and reliable long-term "requires further improvements in material loading and structural integration."

The payoff? Cars that charge like smartphones. Cleaner supply chains. And fewer fire risks from overheated batteries.

Other researchers are racing to improve battery tech, too. One team recently developed a solid-state silicon-anode battery that could outlast thousands of charges. Another effort is building ultrafast-charging batteries using new materials in Korea. Ford even rolled out a custom Mustang Mach-E that squeezes more mileage out of every watt. Swapping to a battery that charges this fast could also pair well with solar panels, helping drivers save money by powering their EVs right from their rooftops.

So while you won't be test-driving a sulfur-powered EV tomorrow, the wheels are in motion. And they're spinning fast.

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