Volvo Cars has partnered with UK-based EV charging management software developer Breathe to become the first automaker to access the latest version of its Breathe Charge software, for use in its new generation of electric cars.

Volvo will integrate the software with its own in-house-developed battery management platform to optimize performance and reduce charging times. Based on tests, Volvo says that the time to charge from a 10% to an 80% charging state is reduced by between 15% and 30% across the full life cycle of the battery, without affecting its health status.

Volvo says Breathe’s software uses adaptive charging to control the battery in real time, rather than traditional stepped charging based on predetermined rules, reducing charging times. Algorithms manage the charging process in accordance with battery health and help avoid the risk of harmful lithium plating.

“Faster charging times, in the range where customers typically fast charge, represent a major step in the right direction as we continue to boost electric mobility and make it available to more people,” says Volvo Cars Tech Fund CEO Ann-Sofie Ekberg.

Source: Volvo