Will Ford’s Future EV Battery Cable Revolutionize Recharging?
Ford & Purdue Are Working on a EV Battery Cable that Could Revolutionize Recharging
Ford and Purdue University researchers have taken an important early step to slash the time it takes and to simplify recharging an electric vehicle. Alliance, researchers from both groups are working to develop a patent-pending new charging station cable that could combine with in-development vehicle charging technology, to deliver seamless re-charging and make it even easier for people to transition to EVs.
Ford, Purdue Facing the Challenges of Heat in Battery Charging
“Today’s chargers are limited in how quickly they can charge an EV’s battery due to the danger of overheating,” Ford Research and Advanced Engineering senior technical leader Michael Degner explains. “Charging an EV up faster requires more current to travel through the cable. “The higher the current, the more the heat that has to be removed to keep the cable operational.”
Purdue’s research is focused on an alternative charging cable cooling method design that will allow the cable to deliver increased current. The new cable uses liquid as an active cooling agent. The key difference between this and current liquid-cooled technology however, is that the new Ford-Purdue cable’s cooling liquid will change phase to vapor, and help extract more heat from the cable.
It is suggested that this innovation used in parallel with other vehicle charging and technology enhancements, will evolve to deliver significantly more charging power than today’s leading systems. These combined technologies could potentially also lead to re-charging EVs as quickly as it takes to complete conventional combustion vehicle’s gas station refuel.
Battery Charging as Fast as Gassing Up?
“Electric vehicle charging time can vary from 20 minutes at a station to hours on home charging,” Purdue University mechanical engineering professor Issam Mudawar, points out. “That can be a source of anxiety for potential electric vehicle buyers. “My lab has come up with a solution to recharge batteries at a rate beyond the capabilities of today’s technologies. “They currently cannot cope with that amount of heat produced.”
Mudawar has been developing ways to more efficiently cool electronics. By taking advantage of how liquid captures heat when boiled into a vapor over the past 37 years. His Purdue lab intends to test a prototype charging cable to determine more specific charge speeds for certain models of electric vehicles within the next two years.
“Ford is committed to easing the transition to electrification,” Michael Degner added. “We are glad to work closely with Purdue’s research team to make electric vehicle ownership even more appealing and accessible.”
Multifaceted Collaborations Solve Issues, Grow Talent
This new technology is based on regular collaboration between the teams. It utilizes Purdue’s expertise and Ford’s understanding to tackle the challenge of faster charging rates. This is one of hundreds of strategic alliances between Ford and universities around the world. They allow graduate students to develop their skills and introduce Ford to students as a career choice.
“The research involved in a project like this is really advanced. “We view it as a benefit,” Ford’ Electrification and Power Supply Research manager Ted Miller admitted. “It has seen success in young talent working on future electric vehicle charging solutions. “Students get engaged, they like the work they’re doing, and it’s a sustained investment in their laboratories. “At the same time it helps us solve future challenges.”
“Ford has been involved in battery research and EVs since Henry Ford and Thomas Edison’s days,” Miller concluded. “We’ve secured over 2,500 US electrification technology patents and have more than 4,000 more pending. “Working with Professor Mudawar and his students is a perfect fit to research future charging solutions.”
Images: Ford