Volvo cuts EV recharging time to 1.5 hours

"We know that short recharging times and extensive operating range are a necessity for potential electric car consumers," said the company's vice president of electric propulsion systems, Lennart Stegland. "The fast charging unit helps cure what is known as 'range anxiety' since the car can be more easily recharged during the day. Even if users don't have enough time for a 1.5 hour charge, Stegland says plugging in for just 30 minutes gives enough power for another 80km of driving. Plugging into an ordinary single-phase 230V household outlet is said to give a charging time of 8 to 10 hours, depending on the available current. "The user can 'top up' the battery pack with electricity one or more times during the day," Stegland added. "This means that the total daily range is significantly extended, yet with the same low operating cost compared to a car with a conventional power train. "Giving customers more usable hours each day means that electric cars become more viable as a commercial proposition, in both the private and public sectors." The new charger, claimed to operate six times faster than today's on-board devices, is due to be installed and evaluated in a number of Volvo C30 electric cars.