A current patent submitting signifies Rivian is seeking to various cooling strategies as a solution to pace up EV fast-charging.

A patent utility revealed Feb. 14 by the USA Patent and Trademark Workplace (USPTO) notes that thermal administration throughout charging can take up numerous energy. As an answer, it proposes shifting a few of the load from the automobile’s cooling system to the charging system.

Battery packs should be inside a sure temperature window to attain peak charging pace, and in response to Rivian, that cooling takes actual energy, which detracts from peak cost charge. That cooling demand will increase from a number of kilowatts with AC charging to fifteen kw or extra with DC quick charging, the corporate claims within the patent utility.

Rivian EV charger cooling system patent picture

Cooling wants for charging additionally necessitate a bigger air-con system which will use extra energy the remainder of the time when driving, too, Rivian famous.

The corporate has boasted that its cooling technique, which depends on a cooling plate operating horizontally by way of the pack, is a extra environment friendly solution to average the pack’s temperature, although. And the cabin cooling system in some EVs now does assist pace up fast-charging, so this is not a left-field concept.

The doc lays out an extended listing of prospects for various cooling preparations—together with fanning cool air beneath automobiles—maybe hinting that, whereas Rivian hasn’t arrived at anybody technique for doing this, the corporate desires to say the concept. That is usually the motivation for automotive patents, whether or not the automaker submitting them has agency manufacturing plans for a given characteristic or not.

Rivian EV charger cooling system patent picture

In any case, it appears that evidently this may take a large amount of power on the charging station stage to make any distinction for the automobile, so it is unclear how possible it could be. Different firms have checked out methods to enhance charging efficiency by way of extra environment friendly cooling, nonetheless.

Ford and Purdue College has helped develop a charging cable that might depend on the part change of coolant from liquid to vapor, offsetting the necessity for bulkier cables. That is one thing charging {hardware} provider Huber+Suhner has predicted could be wanted to help very quick electric-car charging.