Faster DC charging has required a new generation of cable cooling, but General Motors is also looking at cooling of the charge port, a patent filing indicates.
Published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) April 25, 2024, and originally filed by GM October 18, 2022, the patent application in question deals with cooling of EV charge ports with phase change material (PCM).
A PCM is one that absorbs and releases heat when it goes through a phase change—hence the name. PCM cooling has been used in heat sinks in the computing world for years, and has becoming increasingly common in outdoor gear.
General Motors PCM charge port cooling patent image
In this charging application, PCM would be placed around the charge port and would shift from a solid to a liquid state as it absorbs heat caused by the flow of electricity through the port, thus providing a cooling…
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