A fast-charging system that promises to fully charge an electric car in 15-20 minutes will be demonstrated for the first time at an electric vehicle show next week.  The Electric Vehicle Symposium will see eight major car manufacturers (Audi, BMW, Chrysler, Daimler, Ford, GM, Porsche and VW) throw their weight behind a standardised DC-fast charging system. It will, according to a Volkswagen Group press release, “accelerate more affordable deployment of electrified vehicles and charging infrastructure.”

With the system fitted, an electric car will be able to charge in little more than 15 minutes from a public charging post, and not much longer from a home socket.And it will create “a uniform standard with identical electrical systems, charge controllers, package dimensions and safety mechanisms,” for all EVs made by the aforementioned car companies.

This will, according to Volkswagen, “reduce development and infrastructure complexity, improve charging reliability, reduce the total cost-of-ownership for end customers and provide low maintenance costs.”

The system (plug pictured above) was chosen by the Society of International Engineers as the best of the current available setups, because it integrates four different types of charging into one inlet: one-phase AC-charging, fast three-phase AC-charging, DC-charging and ultra-fast DC charging. It means that an electric car can charge easily from any power source, and makes it more appealing for investors to pour money into fast-charge infrastructures.

It’s hoped the system will be launched early next year.