The time it takes to charge an EV battery is often cited as one of the primary reasons why cars like the Nissan Leaf are yet to find their way into the mainstream. But in the not-so-distant future, charging an electric car could be as straightforward as refueling at the pump. Nissan claim to have created a quick-charge solution that charge batteries required by cars such as the Leaf in just ten minutes. Compared to the current charge time of up to eight hours, this is a significant technological breakthrough.

Developed in collaboration with Kansai University in Japan, by changing the electrode inside the charger's capacitor to tungsten oxide and vanadium oxide, a rapid charge time has been achieved without compromising the storage or voltage. In any event, commercializing the technology could take ten years, but given the amount of EVs on the road there's no rush. In the meanwhile, Nissan have launched a new fast charger priced at $13,000, half the price and size of the previous charging unit and ideal for parking lots and gas stations as it can charge EVs from multiple automakers.