A group of scientists from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore have created a new battery that puts Motorola's Turbo Charger technology to shame and could have a significant impact on the electric vehicle industry.
By replacing the traditional graphite used to create the anode (negative pole) within lithium-ion batteries with a gel material developed using titanium dioxide, the new batteries are able to be recharged up to 70 percent in just two minutes.
Titanium dioxide is described as an abundant, cheap and safe material that is found in soil. It's often used as a food additive or in sunscreen lotion to absorb harmful ultraviolet rays according to Science Daily.
For comparison, Motorola's aforementioned technology for mobile devices can provide eight hours of battery life from a 15 minute charge albeit under a very particular set of circumstances.
It's not all about speed, however, as researchers also claim their new batteries can endure over 10,000 charging cycles - or about 20 times more than existing batteries can withstand. In real-world terms, this means that electric vehicles could be recharged 20 times faster and could have a lifespan of more than 20 years.
Researchers have been singing the praises of various next-generation battery technologies for some time but thus far, we haven't really seen any massive advancement hit the market. This new technology appears to be the real deal as its inventor, Chen Xiaodong, says it'll be commercially available in two years' time.