Scientists in Australia have developed a new battery technology that could dramatically reduce the charging time of electric vehicles while still maintaining strong battery performance and lifespan.
The advance may help solve one of the biggest concerns many drivers still have about electric cars: long charging times.
Researchers from the University of Adelaide created experimental battery cells that were able to charge to more than 85% capacity in just six minutes.
The study was led by Professor Shi-Zhang Qiao from the university’s School of Chemical Engineering, together with collaborators from Imperial College London.
Their findings were published in the journal Nature Energy.
Fast charging has become one of the most important goals in battery research.
While modern electric vehicles continue to improve in driving range, many still require much longer charging times than traditional gasoline cars need for refueling.
Extremely fast charging can also damage batteries over time, reducing their lifespan and increasing safety risks caused by overheating.
According to Professor Qiao, current high-capacity batteries often struggle to balance speed, energy storage, and durability. Batteries that charge very quickly may lose capacity after repeated use, while rapid charging can also create extra heat inside the battery.
The research team believes they may have found a better solution using a method called interfacial anion-reduction catalysis.
Although the name sounds highly technical, the basic idea is to improve the chemical reactions happening at the surface where the battery materials meet.
The scientists designed special catalytic sites on the battery electrode surface. These sites attract negatively charged particles called anions and help create a strong protective layer inside the battery. This protective layer helps the battery charge rapidly while also protecting it from damage during repeated charging cycles.
Unlike some older approaches that change the entire battery electrolyte system, the new strategy focuses only on the battery interface, where many critical chemical reactions happen. This allows fast charging without significantly reducing the movement of ions needed for battery performance.
The test batteries delivered about 240 watt-hours of energy per kilogram while still charging in under six minutes. Just as importantly, they showed strong long-term stability. After 500 fast-charging cycles, the batteries still retained about 76% of their original capacity.
The researchers say the technology could eventually help create electric vehicles that recharge almost as quickly as filling a gas tank, making EVs far more convenient for everyday drivers and long-distance travel.
However, the work is still at the experimental stage. The team now plans to scale up the technology and test how it performs under real-world conditions over longer periods of time.
If future testing is successful, the breakthrough could play an important role in the next generation of electric vehicles, helping reduce charging anxiety and making EV ownership more practical for millions of people worldwide.
