The race to make EV charging as quick and convenient as filling up with fuel is heating up in China, and Geely has just raised the stakes.
In response to BYD’s Flash Charging technology, Geely has introduced its new Smart Charging system, capable of delivering up to 2.25 megawatts, or 2,250 kW, of charging power. More importantly for drivers, Geely says the system can take an EV battery from 10% to 70% in just 4 minutes and 30 seconds.
At that point, stopping to charge an electric car could take about as much time as a conventional fuel stop.
Geely Is Using AI to Manage 2.25 MW Charging
Delivering that much power to an EV battery comes with an obvious challenge: heat.
Repeated ultra fast charging can push battery cell temperatures higher and potentially accelerate degradation, so Geely has paired its charging hardware with the Xingrui PowerMind AI system, developed in partnership with StepFun.
Rather than simply reacting when the battery becomes too hot, the system can predict cell temperatures up to 30 seconds in advance. This allows the car to continuously adjust charging power before temperatures reach undesirable levels.
Geely says the system keeps the battery’s average temperature below 55°C, while peak temperatures are limited to 65°C.
Drivers can also choose between three charging modes depending on their needs: Extreme Charge, Smart Charge, and Auto Charge.
Faster Charging Without Sacrificing Battery Life
Charging speed is only useful if it does not come at the expense of battery longevity, and Geely says it has addressed that issue as well.
Its fifth generation ultra fast charging stations work alongside the company’s Next Gen Ultra Short Blade Battery and use what Geely calls Pulse Restoration technology.
The system sends carefully controlled electrical pulses through the battery to help reactivate lithium ions that accumulate around the negative electrodes after repeated fast charging sessions.
According to Geely, this process can extend the battery’s cycle life by around 20% compared with conventional batteries.
The technology has already been tested on vehicles including the Lynk & Co 10 and Zeekr 001, demonstrating how Geely plans to bring these charging speeds beyond the laboratory and into production vehicles.
More Than 100,000 Charging Points Are Planned
Of course, having cars capable of accepting enormous charging speeds means little without the infrastructure to support them.
Geely plans to deploy more than 100,000 charging points by the end of 2027, with more than half expected to support its Smart Charging technology.
The company is also extending battery coverage for eligible vehicles. The warranty increases from 8 years or 150,000 km to 8 years or 200,000 km.
Owners of new compatible vehicles will also receive 1,000 Chinese yuan in annual charging credit, equivalent to roughly $140 or 525 Saudi riyals, for two years.
