China's electric vehicle charging race is moving at a speed that would have seemed far-fetched not long ago.
Geely is reportedly preparing a 2.2-megawatt charger capable of fully recharging a compatible EV in around four minutes. That's about as quick as a stop at the gas pump.
Here's what to know
As Autoevolution reported, BYD and Zeekr have already drawn attention with extremely fast charging systems, but Geely could move beyond both if its teaser matches real-world results. The company is expected to reveal the setup on September 23 and describes it as "next-generation AI smart charging technology."
The latest milestones have come in rapid succession. BYD helped ignite the current race with a 1-megawatt system for the Han L and Tang L, Zeekr briefly jumped ahead with 1.2-megawatt charging, and BYD later answered with 1.5-megawatt Flash chargers.
A September 21 post from ThinkerCar on X pointed to a Geely poster touting "3,500 charge-discharge cycles with limited degradation" and "2.2 MW with stable thermal control."
More background
Cutting a charging stop from around 30 minutes to just a few could make EV ownership much more practical for people who depend on public chargers, take frequent highway trips, or drive for work and can't afford extended downtime between stops.
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Delivery fleets, ride-hail operators, and taxi services all lose valuable time and money when vehicles are parked and waiting to recharge. A system that can get those vehicles back on the road within minutes could improve uptime and reduce the need for companies to keep extra backup vehicles on hand.
What's being done?
Chinese automakers and battery companies are working to raise peak charging power while improving battery chemistry, software, and thermal management.
Thermal management is especially important, since heat is among the main threats to battery health during rapid charging.
If Geely's claims hold up, the results would suggest the company has found a way to reach extreme charging speeds without giving up durability.
As Geely's teaser put it, "Four minutes of charging for worry-free travel."
Where can I learn more?
Chinese companies have been racing to cut EV charging and refueling times through fast-charging battery advances from CATL and BYD, along with battery-swapping systems from CATL and NIO.
• CATL says its Shenxing battery can add 300 miles in 10 minutes.
• BYD says its Blade battery charges faster while tackling range and safety concerns.
• CATL is rolling out next-gen battery-swapping tech across China to shorten refueling stops.
• BYD is preparing a next-gen EV battery as rivals push faster charging.
• NIO showed that battery swapping on road trips can keep long-distance EV travel moving.
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