Electric vehicles are becoming increasingly popular and that trend will likely continue into the future as automakers roll out new models with improved features.
While range anxiety was one of the biggest issues facing early electric vehicles, it’s not too much of a problem anymore as many new models can travel more than 200 miles (320 km) on a single charge. That’s enough range to suit most drivers and their typical commutes, but anyone wanting to travel long distances better arm themselves with a lot of patience.
While recharging times vary by model and charger, it takes approximately 9.3 hours to fully recharge the Chevrolet Bolt with a 240V connection. The Nissan Leaf, on the other hand, takes around 7.5 hours with a 220V connection. Quick chargers can deliver a partial charge significantly faster, but they’re not nearly as quick as refueling a car with gasoline or diesel.
Apparently, General Motors is trying to fix that, as Bloomberg is reporting the company is working with Delta Americas to develop a new rapid charging system. Little is known about the system, but it would reportedly enable electric vehicles to be given a range of 180 miles (290 km) in less than 10 minutes. That’s a significant improvement over current charging systems and it would likely best the Porsche Taycan’s technology, which allows for 62 miles (100 km) of range with a four-minute charge.
There’s no word on details, but the rapid charging system would certainly increase the appeal of electric vehicles. Of course, there’s no word yet on how much the system would cost, and that could be a deciding factor on whether the technology gets widely adopted or not.
