South Korea Develops New EV Battery: 12-Minute Charge for 800 km Range

South Korea has found a solution to a common problem in electric vehicles, a breakthrough that is believed could become a milestone for the global automotive industry. Electric vehicles face major issues regarding driving range and lengthy battery charging times. Researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), together with LG Energy, have successfully developed battery technology that enables fast charging for a longer driving range. The battery can be charged in 12 minutes for a range of 800 km, significantly further than the previous range of 600 km. The researchers developed it using original liquid electrolyte technology that inhibits cohesion to improve the performance of lithium-metal batteries. “This research serves as a crucial foundation for overcoming the technical challenges of lithium-metal batteries by understanding their interface structure. The research overcomes the biggest obstacle to the introduction of lithium-metal batteries for electric cars,” said KAIST chemical and biomolecular engineering professor Hee Tak Kim, as quoted from the KAIST website on Friday (24/7/2026). Lithium-metal batteries replace the graphite anode, a component of lithium-ion batteries, with lithium metal. However, this research identified a challenge: the emergence of dendrites, which are lithium crystals that form on the anode surface during charging. Dendrites complicate the safety and stability of the battery and can even cause internal short circuits during fast charging. This occurs because of non-uniform interfacial cohesion on the lithium metal surface. To overcome this, the researchers developed a new liquid electrolyte that inhibits cohesion. The liquid electrolyte utilises an anion structure with weak binding affinity to lithium ions (Li+), thereby minimising non-uniformity at the lithium interface and suppressing dendrite growth. Using this technology solves the charging speed problem of lithium-metal batteries while maintaining high energy density.