Leimbach, S. (2023). Boyd introduces green cooling technology for EV charging. Environment+Energy Leader. https://www.environmentalleader.com/2023/08/boyd-introduces-green-cooling-technology-for-ev-charging/

 

A company called Boyd has introduced a liquid cooling technology to enhance the speed and safety of electric vehicle charging through fast charging cables and connectors. Any time electricity is used, even if it is just charging a battery, it generates heat. Boyd developed a coolant for the charging stations. This green coolant cools high-powered fast chargers, which generate significant heat. Cooling the cables lets them charge faster. Rapid charging is important for EV adoption and a lot of car buyers don’t go electric because of concerns about charging times. Boyd’s technology could help the US (and beyond) build more charging stations around the country and world that work more quickly and with less heat.

 

I think this is a good idea. It seems like charging an electric car is the worst part about owning one, because it takes a lot longer than filling up a gas tank. If you have to drive from the Bay Area to LA, you probably need to stop at least once to charge for at least an hour. If you are trying to drive cross-country, you have to be careful about your route, so that you can charge your car before you run out of battery. It seems like Boyd’s technology would allow people to charge a little faster, which means more people could buy EVs, which would mean more chargers would get installed too. It might help solve the chicken-or-the-egg challenge of electric cars not having enough chargers, but chargers not being built because there aren’t enough electric car owners.