Why are we not already able to “instant-charge” EVs, smartphones or other batteries?
In: Physics
Battery technology is a balance between six different factors:
– Power capacity
– Physical size
– Charging/discharging speed
– Number of charge/discharge cycles before significant degradation
– Propensity to explode
– Cost
Getting all six in balance is tough – it is easy to focus on one or two at the cost of the others, but consumer electronics need all six. A battery that ~~maximizes~~ optimizes all six is the holy grail of battery science.
To your question, instant charging would create a ton of heat (electrical resistance) and that heat will damage the number of charging cycles and/or increase the propensity for the battery to explode. Neither is acceptable – the exploding thing is obvious, but no one wants a battery that charges in seconds but can only be charged a few dozen times before it no longer holds a charge.
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