Researcher Discovers Tech That Can Charge EV In 10 Minutes

Date: May 31, 2024

Ankur Gupta, a researcher at the University of Colorado Boulder, has discovered technology that can charge EVs in 10 minutes and phones in 1 minute.

Electronic devices require energy that usually comes from charging them up. At best, the existing technologies have reduced the charging time of devices like phones, tablets, laptops, and Electric Vehicles to a certain limit. However, the time taken is still significant in the case of bigger devices like laptops and EVs. Ankur Gupta, a professor of chemical and biological engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder, has made a breakthrough discovery that transforms the entire global charging scenario.

Ankur Gupta and his team of researchers have discovered a novel technology that can charge a dead phone in just 1 minute and a laptop in a few. The research has been published in the Journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The researchers have uncovered a movement pattern of small charged particles called ions within a complex structure of microscopic pores. This discovery has helped the research team identify a way to create supercapacitors that can not only store heavy loads of electricity but also charge/discharge the ions at lightning-fast speeds.

A supercapacitor is an energy storage device that relies on collecting ions in its complex microscopic pores. These supercapacitors have a longer lifespan than normal batteries. Considering the efficiency and durability of the discovered technology, Ankur strongly believes that this invention should become an integral part of all EVs, electronic devices, and power grids. 

"Given the critical role of energy in the planet's future, I felt inspired to apply my chemical engineering knowledge to advancing energy storage devices," Gupta said. “It felt like the topic was somewhat underexplored and, as such, the perfect opportunity," Gupta said, as quoted by the journal.

This discovery will also help various-sized grids stabilize the power supply as the pores can efficiently store energy without waste or leaks. It can also help scale the energy supply on demand by minimizing wastage during low-demand periods and rapidly sending energy during high-demand periods.