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Old 08-28-2018, 06:30 PM   #20 (permalink)
ProDigit
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Redpoint,
You're right, and I was wrong.

Supercaps indeed have multiple caps that can charge up to only a few volts.
But because they are in Parallel (I never mentioned they were in series), they can generate massive amps instead of voltages.
While the voltages are low, hundreds of caps can easily suck up thousands of amps momentarily.

Not always will the energy in caps be used for driving.
A car might be charging, then gets unplugged. The remaining energy in the caps can be used to charge the battery when the car isn't driving.
That way, when you plug it in again, it again can draw large currents off the net.

The initial technology was invented in Belgium, my home country, the idea was initially to fast charge the cap, which then slowly charges the battery for smaller devices like Cellphones (or a Roomba or so).
Think about dropping your phone down for a charge and in 10 seconds it has enough charge to last a day?

Supercapacitors for cars are now being manufactured in Iceland.
But I agree with your statement that this technology makes no sense for 120/240V chargers; and only the DC fast chargers in cars.
Who knows, in the future we might have 6000V fast chargers? It would be beneficial for the electric companies, since a lot of their high-voltage lines are rated at 6kV, and you could use only 1 lead to charge the car (since it's AC); a lead, and ground the car, or 2 leads.
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