Student’s graphene battery could cut EV charging times

Josh de Wit, a second-year mechanical engineering student from the University of Sussex, has won the Autocar-Courland Next Generation Award for 2016 with a concept that could dramatically reduce charging times for electric vehicles (EVs) and reduce the weight of their batteries. Josh’s design harnesses the remarkable qualities of graphene, a form of pure carbon in sheets that are just one atom thick. A car battery made with stacked graphene, he says, would take far less time to charge, store more energy
December 8, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
Josh de Wit, a second-year mechanical engineering student from the University of Sussex, has won the Autocar-Courland Next Generation Award for 2016 with a concept that could dramatically reduce charging times for electric vehicles (EVs) and reduce the weight of their batteries.

Josh’s design harnesses the remarkable qualities of graphene, a form of pure carbon in sheets that are just one atom thick. A car battery made with stacked graphene, he says, would take far less time to charge, store more energy and be cheaper, stronger and lighter than existing products. This is because graphene is highly conductive, light and strong and far less would be needed.

Josh, who studies in the University’s School of Engineering and Informatics, is currently on placement with electric-motor company YASA. In the spring, he will begin a six-month work experience tour of some of the major automakers, including 1683 Honda, 7998 Jaguar Land Rover, McLaren, 838 Nissan, Peugeot and 1686 Toyota.

He is also working with the University’s business incubator, Sussex Innovation, to develop a prototype and bring his stacked-graphene battery concept to market.

Related Content

  • October 25, 2012
    Electric minicabs to debut in London
    Chinese electric car manufacturer BYD and London green minicab company greentomatocars have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to create London’s first fleet of all-electric minicabs. BYD will supply greentomatocars with 50 of its pure electric e6 models for trial use in the capital. The cars are expected to be available for customers to use from the second quarter of 2013.
    Read More
  • August 10, 2016
    Mileage based charging offers secure future for funding
    HNTB’s Matthew Click sets out why a move to mileage-based pricing is inevitable. Infrastructure is the most neglected yet the most critical engine of our society, and our continued indifference could lead to a dystopian future. Our roads, bridges and highways have been largely passed by in the digital age—marginalised in an era when funding is limited and stewardship of physical assets has given way to our preoccupation with technological innovation and data—the stuff of the virtual realm.
    Read More
  • August 19, 2013
    Agero to sell connected vehicle services division
    Agero has entered into a definitive agreement under which SiriusXM Radio will acquire Agero's connected vehicle services division in a deal worth US$530 million. Agero’s connected vehicle unit provides telematics services such as roadside assistance, consumer affairs and claims management services, for driver and automobile makers. The deal is slated to close in the fourth quarter 2013 and will enable the company to continue to accelerate the development and delivery of new services to enhance its leadershi
    Read More
  • November 10, 2017
    IBTTA’s Jones sees turbulent times and a bright future for tolling
    Colin Sowman talks to IBTTA’s Pat Jones about the future of tolling in a fast-changing world. Pat Jones may have been executive director and CEO of the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (IBTTA) for 15 years but in his words: “Never before have I seen so much change coming so fast in the transportation and tolling industry.” Amidst all this change, tolling companies are asked to provide funding for roadway building or improvements which will be repaid for over, say, a 30-year concess
    Read More

Highlighted Content