Geely launched its Smart Charging technology in Ningbo on September 23. Credit: Geely Auto
- Geely’s system took just 4 minutes and 30 seconds to charge from 10% to 70% in real-world tests, beating BYD’s 5 minutes.
- The fifth-generation Geely Smart Charging Station delivers peak power of 2,250 kW, above the 1,500-kW flash charger BYD unveiled in March.
Geely Auto (HKEX: 0175) has unveiled a new generation of AI (artificial intelligence)-powered charging technology, delivering a direct response to BYD’s (HKEX: 1211) push in the ultra-fast charging sector.
The Chinese automaker launched the Geely Smart Charging technology in Ningbo on Wednesday, alongside the fifth-generation Geely Smart Charging Station.
The Shendun Golden Battery, developed for ultra-fast charging and high performance, supports a peak charging rate of up to 12C, Geely said.
In real-world tests, the Lynk & Co 10 and Zeekr 001 equipped with the Shendun Golden Battery charged from 10% to 70% in 4 minutes and 30 seconds, and from 10% to 97% in 8 minutes and 40 seconds.
That marks the fastest production-ready charging performance to date. By comparison, BYD’s second-generation Blade Battery, paired with the new-generation flash charging pile it unveiled in March, takes 5 minutes to charge from 10% to 70% and 9 minutes from 10% to 97% at normal temperatures.
In a test Hongqi disclosed in July, its battery charged from 10% to 70% in just 3 minutes and 41 seconds, though no mass production timeline was given at the time.
The fifth-generation Geely Smart Charging Station offers peak charging power of 2,250 kW, above the 1,500 kW maximum single-gun output of BYD’s flash charging pile, which was the highest among mass-produced chargers globally when it was launched in March.
At the core of the technology is Xingrui PowerMind, a smart energy AI model jointly developed with Chinese AI startup StepFun. The model coordinates the vehicle, battery, charging station, cloud, grid and energy storage system to tailor a charging strategy for each vehicle.
The system can predict battery temperatures up to 30 seconds ahead and dynamically adjust charging power, aiming to keep the battery’s average temperature below 55°C during charging and its peak temperature under 65°C.
A supporting five-point liquid cooling system covers the entire charging chain, from the station’s energy storage battery, charging pile, cable and charging port to the battery pack, which Geely said is an industry first.
To address concerns that fast charging shortens battery life, Geely introduced lithium-ion pulse restoration technology, which uses micro-pulse currents to reactivate lithium ions accumulated at the negative electrode.
Combined with AI charging management, the technology can extend battery cycle life by up to 20%, the company said.
The next-generation Ultra Short Blade Battery, aimed at affordable models, uses Geely’s in-house laser welding technology to cut heat during charging by 10% while raising the peak charging rate to 6C.
Competition in China’s EV market remains intense, with automakers vying for buyers on smart driving, range and ultra-fast charging. BYD has been the most aggressive driver of the flash charging race.
BYD said earlier today that it will open its 2,000th highway flash charging station in China on September 24. As of August 28, the company had built 10,000 flash charging stations and reiterated its target of 20,000 by the end of the year.
Battery maker Sunwoda last week unveiled a flash charging battery solution with charging metrics matching BYD’s, and plans to build 10,000 megawatt-level flash charging stations by the end of 2027.
The station delivers peak output of 1 megawatt and has 400 kWh of energy storage.
