General Motors sparks controversy with innovative proposal to speed up EV charging — here's why people are divided
Reports about an unconventional General Motors patent application for a dual-port charging system in large electric vehicles are drawing some colorful commentary online.
"Idiots," one commenter posted on a story about the concept by Green Car Reports. The reader indicated that the tech isn't needed. But there were also some "good idea" and thumbs-up messages given for the patent, as well.
At issue is the effort to speed up charging for electric commercial vehicles. Medium- and heavy-duty EVs have big batteries that typically take longer to charge. That's why experts are working on infrastructure that can handle wider voltage ranges, including a universal power-up device being developed in India.
The GM patent tackles the issue, too. The Green Car article shows an EV that has multiple charge ports and a battery that is divided into subpacks "that can be connected in parallel." Porsche is already doing this to some extent by splitting its Macan 800-volt battery into two 400-volt subpacks to improve charging, all per Green Car's story and the automaker.
The GM concept "allows individual subpacks charged from either a single charge port or both ports simultaneously, instead of charging the entire pack through a single port," the publication's Stephen Edelstein wrote. He added that the tech would be geared for large- and medium-sized vehicles, including Hummers.
The innovation is drawing sensible criticism. Another Green Car commenter voiced concern about one EV taking up multiple ports at crowded charging stations.
The patent isn't the only innovation on the table to handle heavy-duty charging. Megawatt-scale power stations are an option that would be able to juice battery-powered semis, but Green Car reported that the infrastructure needed to scale the tech is tough to roll out quickly.
Danfoss and Volvo are working on a 24-hour semi fleet in the Netherlands that uses a suitcase-sized device to manage how the rigs energize. The unit provides an overnight recharge and around-the-clock service by powering up during 15-minute load/unload periods on regional routes.
It's part of the effort to electrify practically every form of transportation as we transition to a cleaner energy system. Our motorized movement produces 28% of U.S. heat-trapping air pollution, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. What's more, diesel fumes can aggravate lung problems and increase risks for other health concerns, per the federal report.
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For GM's part, an Ars Technica story detailed a patent for a two-port design that allows for the EV to charge in one port while delivering power to another machine through the other outlet. It's not clear if the patents covered by Green Car and Ars are related.
As to when the unique concepts will be implemented? Ars writer Jonathan M. Gitlin puts the unusual ideas into perspective well.
"I have no idea whether GM's patent will show up on a production EV — car companies patent many more ideas than they ever get around to building," he wrote. "But I am intrigued."
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