Waterloo, Ontario — Despite many Canadians reporting that their next new vehicle purchase will likely be an EV, that seemingly minuscule difference between a two-minute gas fillup and a 15-minute session of “fast-charging” has proven to be a deterrent for wider EV adoption.
A team of researchers from the University of Waterloo is currently working to close the gap between the two experiences and make true fast-charging a reality—a reality that chemical engineering professor Dr. Yverick Pascal Rangom believes will clinch market supremacy for whoever achieves it first.
“Electric motors are fine. They’re extremely small and powerful,” Rangom told Waterloo News.
“The problem is the battery, specifically how much energy they can store, their longevity, and how long they take to charge.
“The first group to achieve [fast-charging] will have the most leverage and opportunity in the industry. We still have a long way to go to get this technology to everyone. It’s a big role for researchers like me and others at the university.”
Rangom’s research also touches on the issue of home charging and the infrastructure required to make it viable for EV owners without significant extra costs.
Reporting from Waterloo News points out that the average single-family home built before the late-80s lacks the electrical capacity to support home EV chargers, often requiring homeowners to pay the high cost of upgrading to 200-amp service.
The research currently being conducted at the University of Waterloo is aiming to develop solutions that lighten the electrical load EV chargers can have on a home power infrastructure.
This project is being carried out in collaboration with fellow associate professor Dr. Michael Pope and is being partially funded by Magna International.
