We've been covering the promise of five-minute EV charging technology from Israeli tech company StoreDot since a time when electric vehicles were more of an afterthought in the automotive market. Every time it seems like the tech is getting close to ready for real cars or products in the actual real world, things get pushed back or go quiet. But the company says its "100-in-5" batteries are on track for mass production readiness by 2025 and is now teaming with Polestar to present the first full-scale prototype using the extreme fast charging (XFC) battery tech. The Polestar 5 GT will be able to charge as fast as it looks.
StoreDot still doesn't make the "ready for launch" announcement we're waiting to hear, as 100 miles (160 km) in a mere five minutes of charging could be the pivotal game changer needed for widespread EV adoption. Still, full-scale prototype integration is a necessary step toward that ultimate goal.
Polestar intends to use the StoreDot battery tech in a prototype of the flashy in 2024, it announced amongst a preview of various technological plans at "Polestar Day" in Los Angeles on Thursday. The company aims to be the first automaker to demonstrate the XFC cells on a full-scale drivable prototype.
"StoreDot is making huge strides forward in the development of their extreme fast charging technology, and we are a proud investor and partner in its evolution," said Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath. "StoreDot’s pioneering extreme fast charging batteries, combined with our upcoming top-of-the-line electric powertrain, can revolutionize the ownership experience for EV owners with the ability to recharge in minutes.”
One hundred miles may sound a little lean, but when you start thinking of the possibility of 200 miles (322 km) in 10 minutes or 300 miles (483 km) in 15 minutes, it starts looking like a practical and reasonable amount of time to spend at the charging station when traveling longer distances. Polestar quantifies it as a 10-to-80-percent charge in 10 minutes on the prototype battery pictured above. The XFC cells are designed to work with 350-kW fast-charging for full optimization.
The Polestar 5 is the production version of the Precept Concept Polestar revealed in 2020, a true show stopper had there been any shows at the time that weren't already stopped. The Precept's influence has already been felt in debuts like the Polestar 3 SUV and will soon be more closely mimicked in the 5 four-door GT, scheduled to go into production in 2025.
An optimist might note that the planned launch timeframes for the Polestar 5 and StoreDot XFC batteries line up quite nicely around 2025, but Polestar also announced today a partnership with Korean battery maker SK On for the 5's battery cell modules. According to Reuters, StoreDot is hoping the first Polestar production vehicles with StoreDot batteries will be rolling out by 2027.
"We still have lots of work to do to fully integrate our systems into a production car, but our teams are already fully engaged, and we will be demonstrating those results in the coming months," StoreDot CEO Dr. Doron Myersdorf said today.
Once again, that five-minute charging feels very close ... hopefully it doesn't go silent from here.
