Geely unveils battery technology that charges electric vehicles to 70 percent in under five minutes

Geely has introduced a new battery technology capable of recharging electric vehicles from 10 to 70 percent in just 4.5 minutes, a development that highlights the widening gap in charging infrastructure between China and the United States. The system is designed to charge at up to 2.2 megawatts, significantly outpacing the capabilities of current commercial chargers available in North America. This latest announcement intensifies the competition among Chinese manufacturers to deliver the fastest charging speeds, positioning the country as a leader in electric vehicle innovation while Western markets continue to rely on lower power outputs for passenger cars.

The new battery pack incorporates artificial intelligence for predictive thermal management, maintaining an average temperature of 55 degrees Celsius and a peak of 65 degrees Celsius during the charging process. According to the manufacturer, the technology also extends battery life by 20 percent by using AI to apply micro pulses of current. This process is intended to reactivate lithium ions that accumulate at the negative electrodes during repeated fast charging cycles, thereby mitigating potential degradation. The pack has been tested in the Zeekr 001 and Lynk and Co 10 models, with the possibility of the technology being adopted by other brands such as Volvo or Lotus in the future.

Geely’s figures surpass those of rival BYD, which in March unveiled a product capable of charging from 10 to 70 percent in five minutes and from 10 to 97 percent in nine minutes. However, CATL remains at the forefront of the sector, having announced in April an LFP battery that can charge from 10 to 80 percent in 3 minutes and 44 seconds, or from 10 to 98 percent in 6 minutes and 27 seconds. These advancements occur against a backdrop of rapid development in China, where manufacturers are leveraging deep integration of connected services and frequent software updates to enhance the user experience beyond traditional automotive standards.

In contrast, the United States lags significantly in passenger vehicle charging speeds. Most existing infrastructure, including all but the newest Tesla Superchargers, tops out at 250 kilowatts and 400 volts. In the 800-volt sector, Electrify America limits output to 350 kilowatts, while IONNA’s new machines are rated for 400 kilowatts. ChargePoint has a 600 kilowatt charger on the market, but megawatt charging remains primarily reserved for heavy-duty electric vehicles such as buses and semi-trucks. ChargePoint CEO Rick Wilmer noted that while standard connectors cannot handle such power, the company’s roadmap includes an MCS connector capable of delivering 1.2 megawatts through a single port, marking a significant step towards higher capacity infrastructure.

Passenger vehicles in the US also face limitations in their acceptance of high power. Hyundai and Kia’s 800-volt electric vehicles, including the Ioniq 5 and EV6, max out around 240 kilowatts on DC fast chargers. Porsche’s Taycan accepts up to 320 kilowatts, while newer German models like the BMW iX3 and Porsche Cayenne are arriving with 400 kilowatt DC charging capabilities. These figures underscore the disparity in charging performance between the two markets, with China’s sub-five-minute charging times setting a new benchmark for the industry.