Breakthrough Technique Boasts 5X Faster Cold-Weather EV Battery Charging

Neil Dasgupta, University of Michigan associate professor of mechanical engineering and materials science, authored a groundbreaking new EV battery study reported on September 3, 2025 by Electronic Design.

The adverse effects of cold temperatures on electric-vehicle (EV) battery performance are well known. Current EV batteries store and release power through the movement of lithium ions between electrodes via a liquid electrolyte. In freezing conditions, this ion movement slows down dramatically, reducing both available power and charging rates.

Traditionally, automakers have attempted to extend range by making electrodes thicker. But this solution has created trade-offs: slower charging, diminished power output, and less efficiency for the battery’s weight.

This new approach from University of Michigan researchers offers a breakthrough that may finally resolve these long-standing challenges.

A Faster Way to Charge in the Cold

“Charging an EV battery takes 30 to 40 minutes even for aggressive fast charging, and that time increases to over an hour in the winter. This is the pain point we want to address,” said Dasgupta.

His team’s new manufacturing strategy enables EV batteries to charge in just 10 minutes at temperatures as low as −10°C. The technique combines structural changes to electrodes with precise chemical modifications, dramatically improving charging speed and efficiency.

How It Works

The research, published in Joule, focuses on two innovations:

3D Electrode Architectures: These allow ions to move more easily, even in thick electrodes that normally hinder fast charging.

Artificial Solid-Electrolyte Interphase (SEI): A protective layer of lithium borate-carbonate (Li₃BO₃–Li₂CO₃), applied via atomic layer deposition, that optimizes reactions at the electrode surface.

Together, these modifications prevent electrolyte thickening in cold weather and improve both mass transport and interfacial kinetics, the key factors that slow batteries in freezing conditions.

Maintaining Capacity Under Stress

One of the biggest risks of cold-weather fast charging is lithium plating, where lithium builds up on electrodes and permanently reduces battery life. The U-M design eliminates this issue, enabling:

97% capacity retention after 100 cold-weather fast-charging cycles.

500% increase in accessible capacity at a charging rate of 6C and −10°C.

Building on Past Advances

Dasgupta’s team had previously improved charging at room temperature by laser-drilling tiny pathways (40 µm wide) into graphite anodes, allowing lithium ions to move more uniformly. However, in cold weather, these gains disappeared due to the electrode’s surface chemistry.

He compares the effect to butter: “You can get a knife through it whether it’s warm or cold, but it’s a lot harder when it’s cold. If you try to fast charge through that layer, lithium metal will build up on the anode like a traffic jam.”

By applying the lithium borate-carbonate coating, the team overcame this bottleneck, keeping ions flowing smoothly even in icy conditions.

Path to Commercialization

The University of Michigan has applied for patent protection, and the technology has been licensed to Arbor Battery Innovations, a startup focused on commercialization. Follow-on development is being funded by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation through the MTRAC Advanced Transportation Innovation Hub.

If successful, this innovation could mark a turning point for EV adoption in colder climates, eliminating one of the most stubborn barriers to fast charging and making winter range anxiety a problem of the past.

EVinfo.net’s Take: Norway Shows the World That Cold Weather Is No Barrier to EV Adoption

EVinfo.net commends the University of Michigan team for addressing this issue with their important research.

Right now, during our unusually hot summer resulting from global human-caused climate change caused in part by gas-burning vehicles, it is hard to imagine cold weather. See EVinfo.net’s Driving an Electric Vehicle During a Heatwave: Challenges and Tips.

But winter is coming, and EV drivers should prepare, especially those who haven’t driven or charged in cold weather yet.

Joe Gutierrez, Senior Director, Customer Operations at EVgo, reported that in extremely cold conditions, EVs lose about 20% of range on average, and in comparison, ICE vehicles lose about 15-20% of MPG. He offers five cold weather tips for EVs.

In 2023, the Zero Emission Transportation Association released a tips sheet for operating electric vehicles in cold weather.

For years, skeptics have argued that cold climates make electric vehicles impractical. Slower charging speeds, reduced range, and frosty starts were all cited as reasons why EVs might struggle outside of mild-weather markets. Yet Norway has proven these concerns to be outdated myths.

With nearly 100% of new vehicle sales now electric, Norway leads the world in EV adoption, and it’s doing so in a country famous for harsh winters, long dark nights, and subzero temperatures. The success story sends a clear message: cold weather is not a deal-breaker for electrification.

In July 2025, CNBC reported that Norway’s sales of EVs have increased from less than 1% of total auto sales in 2010 to 88.9% last year, and the trend doesn’t show any sign of slowing.

Data published by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration found that EVs accounted for more than 93% of the new cars sold in 2025 so far.

How has Norway achieved this? First, robust charging infrastructure ensures that drivers can easily top up at home, at work, or along highways, even in rural areas. Second, automakers selling into the Norwegian market have adapted vehicles for winter use, integrating features like preheating, all-wheel drive, and battery thermal management systems. Third, national policies, ranging from tax incentives to toll exemptions, have made EVs not just environmentally friendly, but also economically attractive.

Most importantly, real-world experience has changed public perception. Norwegian drivers have seen firsthand that modern EVs perform reliably in snow and ice, offering strong acceleration, quiet operation, and lower running costs compared to traditional combustion vehicles.

As more countries look to accelerate EV adoption, Norway stands as proof that even the toughest climates can embrace an all-electric future. The takeaway for policymakers, automakers, and consumers alike: cold weather is no longer an excuse. If it works in Oslo, Tromsø, and the Arctic Circle, it can work in colder US states, such as Illinois, New York, and anywhere.