Electric vehicles could be charged within 5 minutes thanks to tech developed by NASA for use in space

• A cooling system developed by NASA for electronics in space could be used to help charge electric cars.
• The system could, in theory, allow electric cars to be charged in just five minutes, NASA said.

Researchers have found that NASA technology developed for use on the International Space Station could also be used to charge electric vehicles at a much faster rate than in currently possible.

The complex cooling technique, which has been developed to help certain electrical systems in space maintain proper temperatures, can deliver almost five times the current of other electric vehicle chargers currently on the market, NASA said in a blog post.

Higher electrical currents generate more heat, meaning the more current flowing, the higher likelihood of components overheating.

NASA's complex heat transfer system, known as "subcooled flow boiling," can cool cables carrying high charges, potentially allowing for a faster flow of electricity without the risk of components overheating, according to the blog post.

In the blog, NASA said the system had been developed to help deliver "nuclear fission power systems for missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond; vapor compression heat pumps to support Lunar and Martian habitats; and systems to provide thermal control and advanced life support onboard spacecraft."

Current charging time for EVs range from less than 20 minutes at some public fast charging stations to days or hours when using at-home chargers.

NASA claims the new heat transfer system could reduce the charging time at charging stations to just five minutes.

NASA said in a blog post: "Application of this new technology resulted in unprecedented reduction of the time required to charge a vehicle and may remove one of the key barriers to worldwide adoption of electric vehicles."

The US government has been ramping up investment in electric car charging to meet its target of installing 500,000 electric-car chargers across the country by 2030.

Slow charging and unreliable charging stations have been an issue for some EV owners.