It will arrive on the market in 2022 on the brand’s next-generation EVs
Developing fast-charging battery packs for EVs that also offer long driving ranges is the Holy Grail right now in the automotive industry, and almost everyone is involved in this race.
Honda makes no exception, and the latest news is that the Japanese automaker is working on electric vehicles capable of 15-minute charging. According to a report from Japanese business daily Nikkei, the first production models to feature the new battery technology will arrive in 2022.
That's when Honda will launch several fully electric cars that will be able to cover 240 km (149 miles) on a single 15-minute charge, thanks to lighter bodies and more efficient power control systems. Nowadays, most EVs available on the market need at least twice that long to reach an 80-percent charge using a high-speed charger.
Honda is currently in the early stages of developing the new type of high-capacity battery that can handle the ultra-quick charging. The company plans to create the batteries in collaboration with a partner that will be chosen later.
Fast chargers in Japan now offer a maximum output of 150kW, but that will increase to 350kW from 2020. By then, Europe is also expected to have several thousand 350kW charging stations. Obviously, Honda's next-generation electric vehicles will take advantage of the faster-charging infrastructure.
Before the rollout of the new-generation EVs that will use fast-charging batteries, Honda will release mass-market electric vehicles in Europe in 2019 and Japan in 2020. These models will take inspiration from the Urban EV and Sports EV concept cars unveiled this year (pictured).
Want to buy a fully-electric Honda today? The 2017 Clarity Electric is your only choice right now.