BMW, Porsche's ultrafast EV charger adds 62 miles in three minutes

In 15 minutes, the battery can be charged from 10 percent to 80 percent capacity.

BMW and Porsche have outlined progress collaborating with several partner companies to develop an ultrafast EV charging system.

The FastCharge research program has led to a prototype charging station with 450 kW of power, enough juice to add 62 miles of range in just three minutes or nearly fully charge a mostly depleted battery (10 to 80 percent) in just 15 minutes.

Tesla's vehicles utilize a 400-volt battery configuration, while Porsche and Audi have doubled to 800 volts. The FastCharge tech can handle even higher levels of up to 920 volts, which the companies anticipate will eventually be used in production cars.

To handle so much current and voltage, the charging station must use actively cooled cables that use a circulating water-glycol solution to manage temperature. The cars must also use an intelligent charging strategy, precooling the battery before charging begins and monitoring cell temperature during the charging process.

The companies are now exploring standardization challenges for communication between the vehicle and charging station.