GM in Race to be the First Manufacturer to Offer 180 Miles of EV Range in 10 Minutes

[Adam Varga + 123]

GM has developed a relationship with EV charger builders Delta Americas to build Extreme Fast Charger stations with the capability to add 180 miles of range in just 10 minutes. A final prototype of the XFC station  should be ready by 2020, just in time for GM to finalize its full lineup of electric vehicles ready by 2023. Adding 18 miles of range per minute of charge dramatically outstrips Tesla’s Supercharger, which currently produces about six miles of range per minute, as well as Porsche’s upcoming 350kW system, which promises 12.4 miles per minute.
GM’s plan is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy. 

[Vlad Kovalenko + 115]

I won't be surprised if they need batteries between the grid and charger to buffer the demand on the grid when stations are in use simultaneously. GM better be working on a battery pack that can accept this amount of power. The Chevy Bolt is limited to 80kW because the battery can't handle the heat.

[Adam Varga + 123]

No trouble for the grid at all. Such chargers are connected to the 20 kV medium high voltage layer of the grid, which can easily provide several megawatts of power. Tesla already has SC stations with 50 stalls, that's 3.5 MW and they are already planning for more.

[BlackTortoise + 103]

Without solid state batteries you can't add so much energy in such a short time without risking to overheat the battery causing the electrolyte to cook with high risk of exploding. You need a solid electrolyte to handle so much energy in such a small time and space. 

[Stormysaga + 62]

I am all for GM working on faster charging solutions, but if they are not going to build a nationwide charging network, then what’s the point. Sure, they can leave it to third-party companies like Chargepoint, but by announcing this new standard, they will likely slow down deployment of new chargers, since who wants to spend a fortune on a network and then have it obsolete? Also, when are they going to deploy cars that can handle this level of charge? Right now the Bolt can only take a tenth of that power.

[Stormysaga + 62]

14 minutes ago, Adam Varga said:

GM’s plan is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy. 

It will cause a major headache for those who want a better future but not at their expense.