Geely counters BYD with 2.25 MW charging system
Geely is entering the race for ever-higher charging powers in China with a new generation of its Smart Charging technology. Paired with a battery capable of up to 12C, electric cars should be able to charge from ten to 70 percent in just four and a half minutes using a proprietary charging system.
The Chinese automaker unveiled the new technology in Ningbo alongside its fifth-gen Geely Smart Charging Station. According to the manufacturer, the system can achieve a peak power of up to 2,250 kW. On paper, this surpasses the Flash Charging column BYD introduced in March, which delivers a maximum of 1,500 kW via a single connector.
However, CnevPost now reports that the high power of the column is only part of the system. Geely combines it with its ‘Shendun Golden Battery’, which is designed for ultra-fast charging and supports a maximum charging rate of 12C. In practical tests, Lynk & Co 10 and Zeekr 001 models equipped with this battery reportedly took 4:30 minutes to charge from 10 per cent to 70 per cent, and 8:40 minutes to reach 97 per cent.
This slightly undercuts the figures cited by BYD for its second-generation Blade Battery. BYD states that, when paired with its Flash Charging system, the battery can charge from 10 per cent to 70 per cent in five minutes and from 10 per cent to 97 per cent in nine minutes at normal temperatures. A test published in July by FAW’s Hongqi brand achieved an even faster time of 3:41 minutes from 10 per cent to 70 per cent, though no timeline for series production of this technology has been announced yet.
Geely relies on 12C and AI charging control
To manage the high charging power, Geely uses the ‘Xingrui PowerMind’ model, developed in collaboration with the Chinese AI company StepFun. This system connects the vehicle, battery, charging station, cloud, power grid, and stationary storage, adapting the charging strategy to the vehicle and battery.
The system is said to predict battery temperature up to 30 seconds in advance and adjust the charging power accordingly. Geely aims to keep the average temperature during fast charging below 55°C and the peak temperature below 65°C. The thermal management is supported by a liquid cooling system that extends from the stationary battery storage through the charging station, cable, and charging connector to the vehicle battery.
Geely also addresses the impact of repeated fast charging on the battery. A lithium-ion pulse regeneration process uses micro-pulses to reactivate lithium ions that have accumulated at the negative electrode. Combined with AI-based charging management, this technology is claimed to increase cycle life by up to 20 per cent. However, the company does not specify its exact lifespan at this point.
For home charging, Geely is pursuing a low-power strategy to reduce the effects of frequent fast charging on the battery. Additionally, for more affordable electric vehicles, Geely is developing the next generation of its Ultra Short Blade Battery. A proprietary laser welding process is said to reduce heat generation during charging by ten per cent, while increasing the maximum charging rate to 6C.
The competition for extremely short charging times has intensified significantly in China of late. The focus is increasingly not only on batteries and vehicles but also on building the appropriate megawatt charging infrastructure. BYD had already installed 10,000 of its Flash Charging stations by the end of August and aims to reach 20,000 by the end of 2026. Battery manufacturer Sunwoda has also introduced a fast-charging battery (link in German) and plans to build 10,000 megawatt-class charging stations by the end of 2027.