Chinese automaker Geely unveils fast-charging system that can top up EV battery in 4 minutes

KATHMANDU: Chinese carmaker Geely on Wednesday unveiled a fast‑charging system that it says can replenish an electric vehicle battery in roughly four minutes, intensifying competition with domestic rival BYD.

Revealed at the carmaker’s Safety Centre in Ningbo, the ultra-fast AI-powered smart charging system runs on a 2.2‑megawatt charging infrastructure paired with a high‑rate battery. Under standard ambient temperatures, Geely said it can recharge a vehicle from 10% to 70% in 4.5 minutes and reach 97% in 8 minutes 40 seconds.

“Current charging speeds are already approaching the physical limit, and the marginal gains from pursuing even faster speeds in the future will become increasingly small,” Geely executive Zhang Dewang said at the launch.

The Chinese auto manufacturer said it uses artificial intelligence across cloud and vehicle platforms to manage thermal stress and the extreme heat produced by high electrical currents. Cloud‑based digital twin simulations work alongside deep‑learning models embedded in the car to monitor battery health, regulate thermal conditions and flag potential hazards before risks escalate.

The company also unveiled a next‑generation EV battery and an upgraded Galaxy E5 pure‑electric SUV, which it said will be the first model to use the new architecture.

The announcement comes as Chinese vehicle makers contend with an 11‑month decline in domestic EV sales through August, a trend Geely attributed to cuts in government subsidies and wider economic headwinds.

The move directly challenges BYD, which earlier revealed its own megawatt‑level flash‑charging technology capable of taking a battery from 10% to 97% in nine minutes and has plans to build 90,000 high‑power charging stations by 2028.

Zhang said he expects the wider charging network to evolve in a manner similar to traditional petrol stations, with multiple brands operating alongside one another to support global expansion.

(Compiled)