This Indian Startup Has Made New EV Batteries That Charge In 15 Minutes

While the majority of the car industry is racing to produce electric vehicle (EV) batteries that can last longer and charge more quickly, this Indian startup has already led the game. Gegadyne Energy, based in Mumbai, says their battery can fully charge within only 15 minutes, which helps bring down the cost of EVs.

Jubin Varghese (right) and Ameya Gadiwan (left), Co-Founders of Gegadyne Energy

According to the company co-founder and CEO, Jubin Varghese, they are now waiting for the patent of this technology to be approved. Varghese said this technology makes batteries more efficient and scalable than lithium-ion batteries.

The difference

How the battery stores the energy, that’s the key here. Current Lithium-ion batteries store energy based on electrochemistry, but Gegadyne’s new batteries take advantage of the combined process of electrochemistry and electrostatics.

As a result, the battery cycle and charging time can increase by 50 times.

Gegadyne’s technology combines supercapacitors with fast charging capability and the high energy density in traditional batteries. Varghese added that this technology uses the concepts of Faraday reaction and electrostatic charge storage.

The future of EV batteries

Right now, Li-ion batteries are the best choice for electric vehicles; however, the rapid growth in the number of EVs means the demand for cells and related elements, Cobalt for example, also increases. This pressure on the limited resources of elements, along with a large amount of charging time required by Li-ion batteries, has pushed auto producers to search for better alternatives.

Considering the current situation and the future of EV, Gegadyne’s solution clearly displays an ideal scenario for electricity powered transportation where EVs can run longer and charge faster.

Besides Gegadyne, there are other firms working on viable alternatives for Lithium-ion batteries too. Log9, also an Indian startup, is working on a battery that can refuel with water. This Graphene-based battery only requires changing an Aluminum sheet to rework. The company is currently developing this product.

BMW has lately revealed its own project on a superfast charger, taking just three minutes to recharge a vehicle. However, there remains a question of how it affects the regular Li-ion batteries currently used in electric vehicles.

The cost

This is another advantage of Gegadyne’s battery. Provided that cells make up 40 percent of an EV’s cost, the creation of Gegadyne’s battery is expected to significantly decline the price of electric vehicles.

According to Varghese, it is likely that India will become the leader in manufacturing batteries, and this is not only economically feasible but also sustainable.

Gegadyne plans to start selling its batteries in 2020. The company also looks forward to seeing more players joining the picture. It has already been working on prototypes as well as battery packs, which were verified by third parties. Additionally, the startup hopes to begin pilot production of the batteries in the next one year.