Geely developing 1800kW ultra-fast charging for EVs

Chinese automaker Geely has begun developing an ultra-fast electric vehicle charging infrastructure capable of delivering up to 1800kW. This new technology is expected to significantly cut down vehicle charging times, potentially to as little as five minutes. The company is also nearing the deployment of solid-state battery technology in its home market.

Yang Xiaoguang, General Manager of Geely UK, revealed the plans in an interview with Autocar. He stated that the 1800kW charging power is currently under development in China and will leverage existing 900V charging systems already in use by brands like Zeekr. While the solid-state battery technology is months away from full implementation in China, it is a priority for that market and also for the UK in future overseas rollouts.

Currently, Zeekr, Geely's EV brand, supports charging speeds of up to 600kW, enabling a 10% to 80% charge in under 10 minutes. Chinese automakers, including Geely, BYD, and SAIC MG, have been gaining traction in the UK market and are aiming to introduce more advanced EV technologies. Geely specifically aims to increase its UK market share to 5% by 2030, requiring a tenfold increase in annual sales.

Yang Xiaoguang emphasized that while ambitious, a more pragmatic approach is necessary for the UK market compared to China. The initial focus will be on increasing the accessibility of home charging solutions, such as wall boxes. Following this, the plan is to introduce ultra-high-power charging stations, which will necessitate collaboration with charging network operators. Geely's strategy also involves using energy storage batteries at charging sites to enable charging speeds exceeding 1000kW, similar to solutions from competitor BYD. Ultimately, Geely may also offer its own branded charging points accessible to all EV brands.