According to IEEE Spectrum: Technology, Engineering, and Science News, a British startup called Hydrohertz, founded by former motorsport engineers, has developed a solution called the Dectravalve to tackle EV fast-charging bottlenecks. This rotary coolant router can send temperature-regulating fluid to up to four zones within a battery pack in milliseconds, reacting far faster than conventional single-loop cooling systems. In lab tests conducted by the University of Warwick’s WMG in early 2025, the system kept peak cell temperatures below 44.5°C during fast charging and cut charging time from 30 minutes to between 10 and 13 minutes for a 10-80% charge—a roughly 60% improvement. Experts like Anna Stefanopoulou from the University of Michigan estimate it could boost battery longevity by about 20%. However, even in a best-case scenario, Hydrohertz founder Martyn Talbot says the tech won’t appear in production EVs for at least three model years.
The Simple, Brilliant Idea
Here’s the thing about most EV battery cooling: it’s kinda dumb. A single loop of coolant sloshes around, trying to manage heat across hundreds of cells. It’s a blunt instrument. The Dectravalve, basically a smart manifold with two concentric cylinders and a stepper motor, aims to be a scalpel. It reads pack temperatures several times per second and can instantly fire coolant exactly where a hotspot is forming. It can even pre-position itself if it knows a fast-charge session is coming. That precision means the existing cooling hardware—pumps, hoses, heat exchangers—can be used way more efficiently, or even downsized. Founder Martyn Talbot’s pitch is compelling: “Control the coolant with more precision and you get more performance for free.” And in a world where every automaker is sweating cost and packaging, that’s a powerful message. It’s the kind of elegant, hardware-focused innovation that makes you wonder why no one did it sooner. For companies optimizing complex systems, from EV assembly lines to industrial panel PCs that control them, this principle of smarter, simpler control is always the goal.
The Big Promises and the Bigger Hurdles
The claimed benefits are huge. Cutting charge time in half? A 20% longer battery life? That’s the dream. The science checks out, too. Keeping cells cool and uniform prevents lithium plating (damage that starts above 50°C) and electrolyte breakdown, which are major causes of degradation. Professor Chao-Yang Wang from Penn State notes the industry trend is toward “simplicity and ultralow cost,” and the Dectravalve, using standard water-glycol and off-the-shelf parts, seems to align with that. But. And it’s a massive “but.” The automotive industry moves at a glacial pace for excellent reasons: safety and reliability. This isn’t a software update. It’s a new piece of hardware that manages a critical safety system—thermal management—in the most volatile part of the car. Automakers will demand years of cycle testing, crash validation, and endless cost studies. A leak or valve failure could be catastrophic. So while Hydrohertz says several EV makers have begun validation programs, that’s a million miles from a signed production contract.
Is This the Real Solution?
I think the Dectravalve is a fantastic incremental innovation. It leverages better control to squeeze more performance from existing architecture. But let’s not kid ourselves: it’s not a magic bullet that makes charging as fast as pumping gas. It attacks one bottleneck (uneven cooling), but energy density, charger power, and grid capacity are other huge constraints. Also, Professor Stefanopoulou from the University of Michigan points out its utility for warming packs in cold weather, which is a nice bonus. The real question is whether automakers, who are desperately trying to simplify platforms and cut costs, will see the added complexity of this smart valve as worth it. Will the 20% longer life and faster charging sell more cars, or just reduce warranty costs? That’s the calculus. The team’s background in motorsport is telling—it’s where bleeding-edge performance tech is born. The grueling journey to consumer road cars is where most of it dies.
The Long Road Ahead
So, what’s next? More waiting. Talbot’s timeline of “at least three model years” feels optimistic. The validation at places like WMG is a great first step, but it’s just a step. The tech has to survive the real world: dirt, corrosion, vibration, and 15 years of daily use. It also has to be manufactured at scale for pennies, because automakers are “notorious for frugality,” as the article says. The Dectravalve is a clever answer to a real problem. It seems like it probably works. But in the automotive industry, “working” is just the entrance exam. The final exam is about cost, reliability, and integration. We’ll be watching Hydrohertz’s progress, but I wouldn’t hold my breath for a 10-minute charge just yet.
