While BMW insists its electric cars don’t need to drive more than 600 kilometers (370 miles) per charge, Porsche wants to more than double that.
More Stories:
Reports of future developments at the German sports car manufacturer also reveal an intriguing glimpse into the EV era. The driving range they are planning will stand at around 1,300 kilometers (800 miles), and you’ll be able to charge your car’s battery from 10% to 80% within minutes.
In other words, no more spending half an hour on charging to cover a measly 400 kilometers. In the time it takes to refuel a regular gasoline-powered car, future Porsches will be juiced up enough to cover up to 1,000 km or more.
Range anxiety will become a thing of the past and charging times will be cut to just a few minutes.
Lithium-ion batteries remain the most efficient solution on the market thanks to high energy density, relatively low weight, and the high number of recharge cycles and will continue to be at the center of future development initiatives, with a focus on reducing the use of exotic and expensive materials that drive up costs.
Solid-state batteries, in which the electrolyte (the chemical fluid that conducts current in a regular battery) is solid rather than liquid, are also high on Porsche’s priority list due to their advantages, particularly their lower weight, increased range, faster charge, and improved safety.
Porsche is also pushing further developments on the battery package, which consolidates the modules (cell groups). It is expected to become much larger and in the not-too-distant future may produce a stronger unit with positive effects on storage capacity and cooling.
Overall, the developments are expected to provide the manufacturer’s future electric models with a range of up to 1,300 km between charges.
And that's not all. Charging time is also a burning issue, and Porsche aims to cut the process to just a few minutes, similar to refueling a gasoline car today. This also has an impact on the chemical composition of the electrodes.
One of Porsche's specialists claims that improvement in this area could reduce charging time from 22.5 minutes to just 15. This time will be further shortened when future charging stations with a 500 kW power supply are installed. This will be made possible through cooling in the charging socket, not just through the charging cable as is common today.
In any case, don't expect a combination of futuristic technologies and fast charging stations anytime soon. According to Porsche, this will take several years. Even then, the integration of expensive new batteries will only be available to the affluent few who can afford it.