A British firm, RML Group, has developed the VarEVolt battery, capable of fully recharging in just 18 seconds, and now it’s officially cleared for mass production.
On June 2, RML received Conformity of Production certification under United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) rules, a key approval that opens the door to large-scale manufacturing. Until now, the VarEVolt battery had only been built in small runs for niche projects.
From Hypercars To Mainstream
The VarEVolt is already powering futuristic machines like the Czinger 21C hybrid hypercar, a 1,250-horsepower beast that blends electric and combustion engines. RML is also preparing upgrade kits for icons such as the LaFerrari and McLaren P1, giving older hypercars a battery replacement that can massively boost range and even multiply power output.
But the company’s ambitions extend beyond exotic garages. With UNECE approval secured, the VarEVolt could eventually find its way into mainstream EVs, provided manufacturers adopt it and charging infrastructure can keep up.
Built For The Extreme
The VarEVolt battery is built for extremes:
- Charge/discharge rate: 200C, meaning full charge or discharge in ~18 seconds.
- Power density: 6 kW per kilogram, capable of “dumping all its power really, really quickly,” as RML’s Michael Mallock put it.
- Modular design: lets automakers balance range, power, or a mix of both, depending on the vehicle.
For context, the Porsche Taycan, one of today’s fastest-charging EVs, operates at just 4–5 °C. That translates to 12–15 minutes to fill its pack. Compared to that, the VarEVolt looks almost like science fiction.
The Catch: Infrastructure
As groundbreaking as the technology is, it won’t matter unless charging networks evolve. To deliver an 18-second top-up, chargers must be able to supply massive bursts of energy safely, far beyond today’s fastest public stations. Long-term durability and safety of such rapid cycles will also need monitoring.
Still, with certification in hand and real-world use cases already underway, the VarEVolt marks a giant leap for electromobility. If charging times shrink from minutes to seconds, the last great psychological barrier to EV adoption, “waiting around”, could disappear almost overnight.
Or in the case of VarEVolt, in less time than it takes to grab a coffee.
