A new Stellantis supercapacitor patent could point to a future Dodge electric vehicle with an instant power boost, while potentially allowing the vehicle to deliver more power during normal driving. The system described in the patent uses a separate supercapacitor to supplement the main battery for short bursts of additional output.
Stellantis Patent Targets EV Power Limits
Many electric and hybrid vehicles can produce extra power in boost, launch control or other special driving modes. The approach typically involves limiting available power during normal driving and reserving additional output for short periods because the electrical system is not intended to provide its maximum capability continuously.
Stellantis says in the patent that “there remains a need for improvement.” Rather than holding back output from the main battery, the company describes an additional short-term energy storage system designed to provide extra electrical power when needed.
Like the system used in the Lamborghini Sian, the proposed technology would rely on a supercapacitor.
How the Supercapacitor Could Add More Power
Stellantis uses a vehicle with an 800V electrical system as an example in the patent. The supercapacitor would operate at around 900V, adding another 100 volts to help the vehicle’s motors produce more power.
If the motor can handle it, the system could provide up to about 13% more horsepower for as long as the supercapacitor takes to discharge. That would amount to seconds rather than minutes, but could still provide a short burst of additional performance.
A supercapacitor can charge and discharge its full amount of energy within seconds. Because it does not rely on a chemical reaction inside the device, it can repeatedly perform those cycles without damage.
Supercapacitors are not used as a replacement for high-voltage battery cells in an EV because they are more expensive and have much lower energy density. Their characteristics make them suitable for a small, short-term application, but not as a vehicle’s sole energy source.
Regenerative Braking Could Recharge the System
According to the patent, Stellantis would use energy captured through regenerative braking to recharge the supercapacitor instead of drawing that energy from the main battery pack.
A voltage converter would increase the voltage from the vehicle’s 800V system for that purpose. The power boost could then be activated automatically by detecting pedal travel or manually through a drive mode or switch.
Dodge Already Uses a Short-Term Power Boost
The Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack EV currently produces 630 hp most of the time. Activating its Power Shot mode adds another 40 hp.
The Porsche Cayenne Electric, meanwhile, adds 295 hp through its Overboost mode and can repeat the additional output.
The patent suggests Stellantis could take a different approach by increasing the amount of power available during normal operation rather than reserving some of it exclusively for a special mode.
The article’s example compares the Dodge Charger Daytona’s current 630/670-hp figures with a potential setup in which Stellantis could make 670 hp available all the time. The power boost feature could then potentially add another 85 hp.
That approach would allow the vehicle to combine higher everyday output with an additional short-term burst from the supercapacitor.
Could the Technology Reach Dodge?
The patent does not limit the technology to Dodge, but its potential application is particularly notable for the brand. The system could provide additional short-term electrical power without requiring the main battery to supply that extra output continuously.
For Dodge, that could mean more power available during normal driving as well as a separate boost function capable of delivering another burst of performance.
