TORAY INDUSTRIES

Company develops capacitor film that charges electric car batteries in 20 minutes

The acceleration of the charging process of electric vehicles at this stage is achieved by increasing the voltage in the network, so the on-board electronics must also be adapted to the increase in loads. Toray Industries has developed an improved capacitor film that can reduce battery charging time to 20 minutes using 800 volts.

Similar calculations, as explained in the Nikkei Asian Review, allow the capacitor film manufacturer to build on existing experience with 400-volt charging stations. When used, the range of an average electric vehicle can be recharged in 40-50 minutes. If the infrastructure can handle twice the voltage, the express charging time can be reduced accordingly.

While Tesla still relies on the 400-volt ecosystem, Porsche and South Korean giant Hyundai Motor, as well as Chinese automakers, are already betting on the 800-volt grid. Toray's new film for automotive capacitors allows them to withstand 800 volts, which will help promote faster charging of electric vehicles. Along the way, it will be possible to decrease the size of the capacitors and decrease the weight of electric vehicles, which will also increase their range.

Toray now owns 60% of this market segment and expects to increase the productivity of its flagship facility in Japan by 60% this year. The company predicts that the film market for automotive capacitors will triple by 2028. The manufacturer plans to build new factories to better meet growing demand.

Image source: Toray Industries