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US being left behind in EV charging speeds as China goes sub-5 min to 70%
Confirmed
In Short: Geely's announcement highlights the rapid advancements in EV technology in China, potentially leaving the US behind in the race for ultra-fast charging capabilities.
Chinese automaker Geely is pushing the boundaries of electric vehicle (EV) charging technology with a new battery system capable of charging at up to 2.2 megawatts.
According to Geely, the system can recharge an EV from 10% to 70% in just 4.5 minutes, a significant improvement over current charging speeds.
The battery uses artificial intelligence (AI) to manage temperatures during high-speed charging, maintaining an average pack temperature of around 55°C and a peak temperature of approximately 65°C.
This technology reflects a broader trend among Chinese EV manufacturers, who are competing aggressively to reduce charging times while adding software and connected features to their vehicles.
In contrast, the US is still lagging behind in EV charging speeds, with megawatt charging primarily reserved for heavy-duty vehicles.
For consumers, the significance is straightforward: if charging times continue to fall toward single-digit minutes, range anxiety could increasingly be replaced by concerns about charger availability.
Geely's latest battery technology is the newest example of how Chinese manufacturers are attempting to make the charging process dramatically faster.
While the US has a more established driving culture, China's younger driving culture has conditioned drivers to expect quick refueling times.
The development could change the EV charging experience, making it more similar to refueling a conventional petrol or diesel vehicle.
What this adds
WarpBeat previously reported on Geely's use of AI to manage temperatures during high-speed charging, maintaining an average pack temperature of around 55°C and a peak temperature of approximately 65°C.
Background
The system uses artificial intelligence (AI) to manage temperatures during high-speed charging, maintaining an average pack temperature of around 55°C and a peak temperature of approximately 65°C.
What's confirmed
- And while you might think pumping large amounts of energy into a battery quickly and repeatedly could harm its health, Geely says that, using AI, the system applies micro pulses of current to “reactivate lithium ions accumulated at the negative electrodes during repeated fast charging,” extending battery life by 20 percent.
- China’s EV industry is pushing charging technology into territory that remains largely out of reach for passenger cars in the US.
- If the technology performs as claimed in real-world conditions, charging an EV could begin to resemble the experience of refuelling a conventional petrol or diesel vehicle.
- The development reflects a broader trend among Chinese EV manufacturers, which are competing aggressively to reduce charging times while adding software and connected features to their vehicles.
- For consumers, the significance is straightforward: if charging times continue falling toward single-digit minutes, range anxiety could increasingly be replaced by concerns about charger availability rather than the time required to use one.
- The newest generation of 800-volt German EVs is beginning to close that gap, with models such as the BMW iX3 and Porsche Cayenne arriving with 400 kW charging capabilities.
- Chinese manufacturers are not simply increasing battery capacity; they are attempting to make the charging process dramatically faster.
- Geely’s latest battery technology is the newest example, promising charging speeds that could dramatically reduce one of the biggest frustrations associated with electric vehicles: waiting to recharge.
- Geely has introduced a new battery system capable of charging at up to 2.2 megawatts, with the company claiming it can recharge from 10% to 70% in just 4.5 minutes.
- The battery uses AI-powered predictive thermal management to control temperatures during high-speed charging.
- Geely says the pack maintains an average temperature of around 55°C, while its peak temperature during charging reaches approximately 65°C.
- The company has also addressed concerns over battery degradation caused by repeated ultra-fast charging.
What's still developing
- Hype merchants have a habit of overdoing it, but there’s no denying that China is making the US look more than a little antiquated when it comes to electric vehicles.
- Megawatt charging in the US is still the preserve of heavy-duty EVs—buses, semis, and the like; ChargePoint told Ars recently that “if you take two Express solos [its new 600 KW charger] and join them with a common DC bus, you now can deliver 1.2 megawatts through one port,” said ChargePoint CEO Rick Wilmer.
- “Now, obviously, a NACS connector or a CCS1 connector won’t handle that much power, but an MCS connector will. So that’s all part of the roadmap for the Express architecture, with the Solo being the first product off that architecture,” he said.
- China’s OEMs are in a battle over who can charge the fastest, and this week, Geely fired its latest salvo.
- China might have a much younger driving culture than North America or Europe, but it has still been long enough to condition those drivers to how long it takes to fill a tank of gas.
- The OnePlus 16 recently received its network access certification in China, and leaker Digital Chat Station (DCS) took the opportunity to share a Weibo post with a detailed spec list.
- The loop goes on like a clip on your earlobes with the small battery unit behind the ears and the earpiece facing the canal.
- The earphones have a simple pairing mechanism and show up as soon as you pull them out of the charging case.
- The audio quality is good enough for you to enjoy music despite not being fully cut off from the external environment.
- The service, announced alongside a range of new experiences, partnerships and a cellular charging case for Specs, is designed to build an understanding of a user's goals, priorities, relationships and routines from the apps they choose to connect, and to surface relevant information without being prompted.
- A separate Specs Charging Case with Cellular, sold separately, provides four additional charges and cellular connectivity through participating carriers.
- Charging speeds of up to 183kW are supported, allowing a 10% to 80% charge in as little as 24 minutes.