Prieto Battery, a company developing lithium-ion battery technology, has revealed its latest prototype – a battery it reckons can fully recharge in just three minutes.
Lithium-ion battery technology has had an intense focus over the past several years (due to both innovations and safety concerns). It’s largely been due to the rise of electric vehicles, which use large lithium-ion batteries (though alternatives may soon be used), but the technology also exists in phones, laptops, and pretty much any portable gadget.
With lithium-ion cells used in so much tech, Prieto’s work may benefit a multitude of products – but in an announcement, the company spoke specifically about electric vehicles.
“Prieto’s battery will charge faster than you can fill your car’s gas tank,” Prieto CEO Mike Rosenberg claimed.
“When you charge your car faster than gassing up, range is no longer a hindrance and everyone becomes a potential EV buyer.”
Prieto’s battery is referred to as a 3D integrated battery. Its architecture, as Prieto described, is different from other lithium-ion batteries found today, with a shortened diffusion length between the anode and cathode that increases charging speeds and energy storage capability. The batteries are designed to deliver five times the power density of a standard battery, the company reckons.
While the charging speed is certainly the headline feature of Prieto’s prototype battery, there are a bunch of other cool things to pay attention to.
The company claims that the three-minute recharging speed can happen in all batteries regardless of the size, and that the technology will fundamentally change how companies design their projects.
Additionally, the battery, Prieto said, can operate at temperatures as low as -30 degrees Celsius and as high as 100 degrees Celsius. The company also claims the battery is non-flammable, and had been tested by a third-party lab against the nail penetration test, which resulted in no fires or explosions.
With this prototype, Prieto is now focusing on the commercialisation of the technology, with plans to establish a manufacturing facility.
You can read about the technology on the Prieto website.