Prof. WANG Chao-Yang of The Pennsylvania State University delivered the 13th PAIR Distinguished Lecture, titled “Battery Fast Charging for Sustainable Electrification”, on 27 February 2024. The hybrid lecture attracted over 230 participants joining in person and online from more than 20 countries and regions across Australia, Asia, Europe and North America. It was also broadcast live on multiple social media platforms, captivating an online viewing audience of over 13,100.
In his presentation, Prof. Wang first gave some background information about the economics of battery fast charging for electric vehicles (EV), pointing out that fast charging enables EV affordability and sustainable electrification. He then highlighted the current challenges in fast battery charging at all temperatures and presented the asymmetric temperature modulation (ATM) approach. The ATM method enables 10-minute fast charging of energy-dense Li-ion batteries at any temperature (even at -60°C) while still delivering remarkable cycle life. Next, he described novel thermal management concepts for extremely fast charging in both extreme cold and hot conditions and emphasised the need for battery technology that enables both fast charging and high-temperature stability. To conclude, Prof. Wang stated that the future of battery technology lies in Lean Energy Storage Systems (LESS) coupled with ubiquitous fast charging, which can provide affordable and safe mobile energy. This will require the development of a new paradigm of battery design and thermal management without trade-offs between fast charging, safety, lifetime, and cost.
