Charging breakthrough found

UK firm's new wireless charging tech slashes charge times and extends battery life

- JESSE CROSSE

Technology that will halve EV charging times, without the need for any battery overhauls, is being primed for a roll-out by the middle of the decade.

MagLiB, which uses a magnetic field to charge batteries, could deliver "150200 miles in under 10 minutes", said Thomas Heenan, creator and CEO of start-up Gaussion.

The charge is deployed via a pad connected to a power source, installed in the ground, in a similar way to a wireless phone charger. Because it can be used with any existing EV or charging system, it could transform the lives of EV drivers and reduce bottlenecks at charging stations if the technology were used across the public networks, he added.

The technology works by externally subjecting a lithium ion battery to a specially designed magnetic field during charging. By doing so, the charging time can be substantially reduced without affecting the battery warranty.

Testing, which is at an advanced stage (first demonstration units will be ready in 2025), has already shown that battery life can actually be improved by using MagLiB during rapid charging.

Heenan said: "The lifetime of the battery will be the same or better using our technology and, in most cases, we've found it's substantially improved.