# How Electric Cars Pre-Cool Batteries Before Fast Charging > This patent describes an electric vehicle system that automatically cools its main battery to an ideal temperature while driving to a charging station, making charging faster and more efficient. - **Patent:** US 11043834 - **Original title:** Method and system of predicting recharging of battery of vehicle at charging station and correspondent pre-cooling of the battery using cold storage as the vehicle is being driven to the charging station - **Owner:** Ford Global Technologies - **Granted:** 2021 - **Status:** Active - **Times cited:** 1 - **Field:** automotive, consumer_electronics, software, energy ## What it does This patent details a system for electric vehicles to prepare their batteries for charging. A controller in the vehicle automatically detects when the car is heading to a charging station, specifically when the battery's charge is below a certain level (Claim 1). As the car drives, the controller activates the battery cooling system. This system uses a special material called a phase change material (PCM) that surrounds part of the battery (Claim 5). Refrigerant coolant circulates to cool this PCM, which in turn cools the battery to a specific target temperature by the time the vehicle arrives at the charging station (Claim 1, 5). For example, if you set your navigation to a fast charger and your battery is low, the car starts cooling the battery on the highway so it's ready for optimal charging when you plug in. ## What it does NOT cover - Does not cover pre-cooling systems that activate only after the vehicle arrives at the charging station. - Does not cover systems that pre-cool the battery when its state of charge is above a predefined threshold (Claim 1). - Does not cover battery pre-cooling without the use of a phase change material (PCM) as a cold storage component (Claim 5, 8). - Does not cover systems where the cooling rate is not adjusted based on factors like the battery's discharge rate, distance to the station, and the charging station's expected rate (Claim 4, 6). - Does not cover pre-cooling methods that do not involve circulating a refrigerant coolant to the phase change material (Claim 5, 8). ## The clever bit The novelty lies in the system's ability to intelligently predict and proactively pre-cool the battery *during* the drive to a charging station, using a phase change material for efficient cold storage, rather than waiting until the vehicle is parked and plugged in. ## Real-world examples 1. Ford F-150 Lightning 2. Ford Mustang Mach-E 3. Tesla Supercharger preconditioning 4. Hyundai Ioniq 5 battery preconditioning 5. Kia EV6 battery preconditioning 6. Most modern electric vehicles with advanced thermal management ## Why it matters Electric vehicle batteries perform best and charge fastest within a specific temperature range. If a battery is too hot or too cold, charging can be slower and less efficient, and it can even degrade the battery over time. This technology aims to optimize the charging process by ensuring the battery is at its ideal temperature upon arrival, which is crucial for improving the user experience and extending battery life in modern EVs. ## Frequently asked questions ### What does How Electric Cars Pre-Cool Batteries Before Fast Charging cover? This patent describes an electric vehicle system that automatically cools its main battery to an ideal temperature while driving to a charging station, making charging faster and more efficient. ### Who owns patent US 11043834? Ford Global Technologies owns this patent, granted in 2021. ### When does this patent expire? This patent is expected to expire on June 28, 2039, when the invention enters the public domain. ### What is patent US 11043834 cited by? This patent has been cited by 1 later patents that build on its ideas. ### What problem does this patent solve? Electric vehicle batteries perform best and charge fastest within a specific temperature range. If a battery is too hot or too cold, charging can be slower and less efficient, and it can even degrade the battery over time. This technology aims to optimize the charging process by ensuring the battery is at its ideal temperature upon arrival, which is crucial for improving the user experience and extending battery life in modern EVs. ### What does this patent NOT cover? Does not cover pre-cooling systems that activate only after the vehicle arrives at the charging station. **Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11043834/method-and-system-of-predicting-recharging-of-battery-of-vehicle-at-charging-sta **Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US11043834 --- _Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._ ## Related patents Semantically similar inventions in the PatentBrief corpus: - [How Electric Cars Adjust Charging Speed to Available Power](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/20120091953/ac-current-control-of-mobile-battery-chargers) — This patent describes how an electric vehicle's onboard charger intelligently adjusts its charging speed based on the real-time electrical power available from the wall outlet or charging station, preventing overloads and optimizing charge time. - [How Batteries Charge Fast in the Cold Without Damage](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10186887/systems-and-methods-for-fast-charging-batteries-at-low-temperatures) — This patent describes a smart battery system that uses an internal heater to warm itself up for quick, safe charging, even when it's freezing outside. - [How to Fast-Charge Lithium Batteries Without Damaging Them](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10700376/methods-for-fast-charging-and-detecting-lithium-plating-in-lithium-ion-batteries) — This patent describes a three-phase method for quickly charging lithium-ion batteries while carefully controlling voltages to prevent harmful lithium metal buildup and electrolyte damage. - [Smart Charging for Electric Vehicle Batteries Based on Chemistry and Use](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11027624/electric-vehicle-charging-by-adjusting-charger-current-based-on-battery-chemistr) — This patent describes a method for electric vehicle charging stations to adjust how fast they charge a battery based on its specific chemical type, its current charge level, and even how many passengers are on board. - [Smart EV Charging to Protect Battery Life During Long Parking](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11235681/curtailing-battery-degradation-of-an-electric-vehicle-during-long-term-parking) — This patent describes a system that intelligently discharges and recharges an electric vehicle's battery while parked for a long time, like at an airport, to prevent battery damage and ensure it's ready when the owner returns, using vehicle-to-grid technology.