Honda aims for 15 minutes recharge time by 2022

While many of us are interested in owning an all-electric car or hybrid, one of the great issues is the length of time it takes to recharge the battery.

Battery technology has come on leaps and bounds in recent years but a full recharge of the battery can still take around seven hours while quick recharging points can recharge a battery to 80% of its capacity within 30 minutes.

Most homes do not have these rapid recharging points and drivers will be using a connection to the domestic supply instead which is why the charging time is so long.
Also, the other big handicap for people buying electric cars is the network of recharging points around the UK. While the network is growing slowly, many people fear they will run out of power before reaching their destination or a recharging point.

'Range anxiety' - Honda says it might have a solution
This is known as ‘range anxiety’ but Honda says it might have a solution.
That's because the Japanese carmaker says it is developing a high-capacity battery that will be fully recharged in just 15 minutes.

Along with the firm's commitment to sell one in three of its cars in Europe with all-electric power by 2025, the new battery will be available from 2022, says one Japanese business magazine.

That's a real game changer even for an innovative carmaker such as Honda with the new battery technology delivering ranges of 150 miles.

However, in order for this plan to work there needs to be a development of high capacity recharging points – at our homes, work and motorways.

Honda’s all-electric vehicles
This means that Honda’s all-electric vehicles will need to rely on the 350kW Combined Charging System (CCS) but this is also the stated aim of several other manufacturers who are planning an ambitious charging network to achieve this.

Indeed, a range of carmakers including BMW, Ford, Audi and VW have agreed they will work together to create a network of 350kW CCS charging points along most of Europe's motorways.

Work on the charging network has already begun and though Honda has not commented on the business magazine's claims, the firm has made clear that it intends being one of the major players in the world's rapidly developing electric vehicle market.

New hybrid system for the Honda HR-V
And the carmaker has already unveiled its impressive Insight for the North American market and a new hybrid system for the Honda HR-V which will help boost the firm’s line-up.
However, it is what Honda is planning to do next that will help set them apart from their rivals and the impressive Urban EV concept car will, if it moves into production, reinvigorate the supermini market.

With the Urban EV and other yet to be publicised other new electric cars, the future is looking bright for Honda with success underpinned by their commitment to building quality and reliable cars that are innovative and attractive – and the opportunity to recharge a battery in just 15 minutes is an excellent proposition.