Mercedes-Benz Bets on Fast Charging to Alleviate EV Range Anxiety
In the pursuit of easing electric vehicle (EV) range anxiety, Mercedes-Benz is steering away from larger batteries and focusing on faster charging solutions. While larger batteries can extend the distance between charges, they come with notable trade-offs, particularly in terms of weight and cost.
Consider the GMC Sierra EV AT4, which boasts a 205-kWh battery providing a range of 478 miles. Yet, this impressive capability results in the vehicle weighing 8,844 pounds, nearly 48% more than its internal combustion counterpart, the Sierra AT4X AEV Edition. The weight not only affects road infrastructure but also increases the risk of severe accidents.
Charging time remains a concern. The Sierra EV AT4 requires 30 minutes on a 350-kW charger to gain 213 miles, whereas the gasoline-powered AT4X AEV Edition takes under 10 minutes to refuel for a 360-mile journey.
Mercedes-Benz engineers argue that expanding battery size is a simplistic approach to range anxiety. The automaker has been exploring various technologies to enhance vehicle range, as evidenced by the Vision EQXX concept. This prototype traveled 747 miles from Stuttgart to Silverstone on a single 100-kWh charge, emphasizing the potential of fast charging and advanced battery management. The electric Mercedes-AMG GT XX concept further demonstrated this by covering 25,000 miles in less than eight days with an average speed of over 137 mph.
To further this innovation, Mercedes-Benz introduced the ELF (Experimental-Lade-Fahrzeug), a research vehicle designed to test fast-charging technologies. “When you try to build the best vehicle, the fastest-charging vehicle, it’s important to have a very good understanding of what the charging infrastructure can do right now and what we need it to be able to do in years to come,” said Mercedes-Benz development engineer Malte Sievers.
The ELF is equipped with MCS for heavy-duty trucks, allowing up to 1,000 kW charging rates, and an enhanced CCS system. It also tests inductive charging and bidirectional charging capabilities. The CCS setup can achieve a 900 kW charging rate, theoretically adding 100 kWh in 10 minutes—enough to propel the GMC Sierra EV AT4 for 235 miles under optimal conditions.
Notably, the CCS components in the ELF are nearing production readiness. These elements, including the HYC1000 CCS charger by Alpitronic, are slated for Mercedes-Benz Mobility charging parks by 2026. This charger merges MCS megawatt capabilities with liquid-cooled CCS features, facilitating currents up to 1,000 amps. During its Nardo record run, it enabled the AMG GT XX to reach peak charge rates of up to 1,041 kW.
As Sievers notes, “We’re coming from a mindset where we were about [addressing] range anxiety from a battery size point of view. Now, the whole [electric vehicle] sector is very much looking at fast charging. I expect this trend to continue. We’re going to see more and more fast charging.”
Original Story at www.motortrend.com