Charging electric cars is a major concern for EV owners. In fact, it is one of the aspects that affect the decision-making process of any prospective buyer as well. Companies have come up with fast chargers and superfast chargers that are relatively close to competing with traditional refueling times, but they aren't quite there yet. All of that may change, though, as BMW and Porsche have announced a new ultrafast electric car charger that is faster than even Tesla’s supercharger!

BMW and Porsche Chargers can Provide 62 Miles in Just 3 Minutes

However, there is a catch – they aren't compatible with any existing cars. In fact, the mentioned figures were acclaimed in specially designed test cars. Also, presently there is just one ultrafast charger in the world, and that’s in Jettingen-Scheppach, Germany. The 450-kW charger is open and free to any cars with Type 2 version of the internationally widespread Combined Charging System.

Porsche and BMW's Ultrafast Chargers Come With Their Own Limitations

Like we mentioned, this is not a universally-accepted charger. New cars from the two automakers will be specially developed to accept a huge charge. With that said, you can still use the ultrafast charger in your existing cars without the risk of the batteries blowing up as it can automatically adapt the amount of charge it provides each model it interacts with.

What They Had To Say

Here’s what Bloomberg had to say about the ultrafast charger, “One drawback — the charger offers more power than current models can take on. The BMW i3 limits its power intake to 50 kilowatts, while the battery-powered iX3 will triple that to 150 kilowatts when it rolls out in 2020,” “For the test vehicles to withstand the full electricity surge, Porsche used a cooling system that keeps battery cells at a steady temperature, while the charging cables were cooled too. Siemens provided a higher electric voltage energy supply to test the limits of the power jolt.”

Of Course, It Is Easier Said Than Done

Automakers have been working on this ‘problem,’ if you will, for years now. Despite all efforts, they have not been able to surmount it completely. For instance, the best Tesla has done is to get 80-percent charge out of their superchargers in under half an hour. Knowing that getting a 100-percent is still quite some time away, the brand is considering old-school drive-in Supercharger station restaurants to keep passengers occupied for a while.

Our Take

Developing fast chargers is as important as developing the electric car itself. Companies need to prioritize quick charging times to attract customers. Automakers are on the job and will soon be able to provide super fast charging. Apart from Tesla, BMW, and Porsche, General Motors is also developing an Extreme Fast Charger that would charge the car up to 180 miles in just 10 minutes. We truly wonder when that will be revealed, though. What are your thoughts on this new ultrafast charger? Share them with us in the comments section below.

Further reading

Read our full review on the 2018 BMW i3.

Read our full review on the 2018 Porsche Panamera 4 E-Hybrid.