The prospect of charging an electric vehicle battery in little over the time it might take to refuel a tank has moved a step closer with news that Israeli battery specialist StoreDot has produced a battery sample that it says will charge in just 5 minutes.

StoreDot is a pioneer of extreme fast charging (XFC) battery technology and says the first-generation 5-minute charge battery engineering samples represent a significant milestone for the company in its mission to eliminate the range and charging anxiety of electric vehicles. The company is releasing the first production batch of sample cells, which is targeted at showcasing the technology to potential EV and industry partners.

This first-generation battery was used to demonstrate the full charge of a two-wheeled EV in just 5 minutes for the first time. It also demonstrate to EV OEMs and battery manufacturers the successful replacement of graphite in the cell’s anode using metalloid nano-particles, a key breakthrough in overcoming major issues in safety, battery cycle life and swelling.

The sample cells were produced by StoreDot’s strategic partner in China, EVE Energy Co., Ltd. Crucially, unlike competing technologies which require significant capital expenditure in bespoke manufacturing equipment, StoreDot XFC batteries are designed to be produced on existing Li-ion production lines.  

Dr. Doron Myersdorf, CEO of StoreDot, commented, “This announcement marks an important milestone, moving XFC for the first time beyond innovation in the lab to a commercially-viable product that is scalable for mass production. This paves the way for the launch of our second-generation, silicon-dominant anode prototype battery for electric vehicles later this year.”