New Chargers Can Fully Charge the Lightning in 15 Minutes?

[Sun Devil]

Reuters posted an article about ABB launching the fastest chargers yet. "The device can charge up to four vehicles at once, and can fully charge any electric car within 15 minutes." ABB launches world's fastest charger to plug into surging e-car market | Reuters

"ABB's Terra 360, which can deliver a charge giving 100 kms (62 miles) of range in less than three minutes, will be available in Europe by the end of the year. The United States, Latin America and the Asia Pacific regions are due to follow in 2022."

This is great news for us future Lightning owners! For you experts out there, how is this possible? I have been under the impression you can't charge your battery too fast. Will someone with expertise in this area explain how it is possible to charge the Lightning in 15 minutes? (I recognize we don't know the size of the battery yet and so we are operating in the dark.)

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[Easycamper]

That’s probably an 800+ volt charger. Not compatible with the Lightning’s battery.

 

[Niterider]

Reuters posted an article about ABB launching the fastest chargers yet. "The device can charge up to four vehicles at once, and can fully charge any electric car within 15 minutes." ABB launches world's fastest charger to plug into surging e-car market | Reuters

"ABB's Terra 360, which can deliver a charge giving 100 kms (62 miles) of range in less than three minutes, will be available in Europe by the end of the year. The United States, Latin America and the Asia Pacific regions are due to follow in 2022."

This is great news for us future Lightning owners! For you experts out there, how is this possible? I have been under the impression you can't charge your battery too fast. Will someone with expertise in this area explain how it is possible to charge the Lightning in 15 minutes? (I recognize we don't know the size of the battery yet and so we are operating in the dark.)

I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure if the battery in the lightning doesn't support whatever system this is that charges in 15 minutes...it just won't charge that fast.

I have been seeing news clips about newer battery tech (solid state, iron battery's instead of lithium) that will allow faster charging and more range, but I doubt the lightning's will have that kind of battery tech at launch.

 

[adoublee]

Reuters posted an article about ABB launching the fastest chargers yet. "The device can charge up to four vehicles at once, and can fully charge any electric car within 15 minutes." ABB launches world's fastest charger to plug into surging e-car market | Reuters

"ABB's Terra 360, which can deliver a charge giving 100 kms (62 miles) of range in less than three minutes, will be available in Europe by the end of the year. The United States, Latin America and the Asia Pacific regions are due to follow in 2022."

This is great news for us future Lightning owners! For you experts out there, how is this possible? I have been under the impression you can't charge your battery too fast. Will someone with expertise in this area explain how it is possible to charge the Lightning in 15 minutes? (I recognize we don't know the size of the battery yet and so we are operating in the dark.)

You will always be slowed down by the "weakest link". In this case it will be what the Lightning can accept. The vehicle tells the chargerer what it will allow in real time (drops as charge % increases, according to "charge curve" set be manufacturer to protect battery from excessive damage).

When referencing excessive damage, think about a football player or boxer accumulating hits. Everything is relative.

 

[Blainestang]

The ABB Tera 360 can charge EVs at up to 360kW, which could *technically* charge an ER Lightning from 0% to 100% in ~26 minutes IF the Lightning could take 360kW the whole time.

The reality, though, is that the Lightning maxes out at 150kW (as far as the info we have today), so no matter what the charger can do (360kW in this case), the truck will only ask for 150kW. Also, it won't be able to accept 150kW all the way to 100%... but probably to 80% based on current info, but then it will slow down.

 

[Brian Head Yankee]

This is how it works when you pull up to a charge station:

Charge station: "Thanks for connecting, I can charge at 360 kW"
EV: "I can only charge at 50kW"
Charge Station: "No problem, I will slow down to 50 kW"


** Don't stress out over the charge rate while you are away from home, a hotel, or the destination. A fast charger only matters along your route. Since most owners charge at home at night 95% of the time, it's not that big of an issue. If Ford charged extra for faster charging, I wouldn't pay for it. Don't forget that a fast charge degrades the battery life quicker too.

The company I work for is looking seriously at ABB chargers for Medium Duty Truck and School Bus charging. School buses and delivery trucks have a defined route each day and they park in the fleet yard all night. We advise clients to size the charge stations to a 10 hour recharge. There is no need to upgrade the utility feed to a bus yard to support a fleet of 10 hour chargers. The grid requirements quickly spiral up for fleets.

 

[Brian Head Yankee]

Caterpillar mobile 500kW charger

Cat has a HUGE charger for their mining equipment. We can chain multiple 500kW units together, up to 4 MW. (That's 4000 kW)

 

[jbirdzee]

Caterpillar mobile 500kW charger

Cat has a HUGE charger for their mining equipment. We can chain multiple 500kW units together, up to 4 MW. (That's 4000 kW)

I'm thinking I'll get my wife one of these for our anniversary. If she doesn't like it I'll probably just use it myself. It worked last time with the welder.

 

[corradoborg]

I'm thinking I'll get my wife one of these for our anniversary. If she doesn't like it I'll probably just use it myself. It worked last time with the welder.

 

[Sun Devil]

Charge station: "Thanks for connecting, I can charge at 360 kW"
EV: "I can only charge at 50kW"
Charge Station: "No problem, I will slow down to 50 kW"

Thanks for confirming. I realize it will only matter when I do road trips, but one day it will be nice when charging is about the same time as a gas station fill up. The technology will be here before we know it.

 

[Erik]

I think the Taycan currently has the record for highest charging speed and the Taycan can only charge at 270 kW for a short time.

The Ioniq 5 and EV6 seem to have the record of most miles added per minute. They can charge at 225 kW, but they are more efficient at about 4 miles per kWh.

It is great that chargers are getting faster, but it will take some time for cars to catch up to the 350 kW chargers already in use.

The 2022 Lightning will max out at 150 kW charge rate and get 2 miles per kWh. Even at the peak, the lighting will add at most 75 miles per 15 minutes. Maybe the 2025 Lightning will reach 350 kW and add 175 miles in 15 minutes.

 

[GarageMahal]

I wonder if the max charge rate will be software upgradable in the Lightning...

 

[shutterbug]

I wonder if the max charge rate will be software upgradable in the Lightning...

No it won't be, but charge curve would be.

 

[astricklin]

No it won't be, but charge curve would be.

Palmer has said that they are looking to adjust the curve on the mme and possibly even allow it to go up to 90% instead of 80% depending on battery health and how often Dcfc is used.

 

[adoublee]

I think the Taycan currently has the record for highest charging speed and the Taycan can only charge at 270 kW for a short time.

Take a look at the Lucid Air. Reportedly 300kW on 900V architecture. Entering production now.

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