Geely has begun rolling out a new ultra-fast electric vehicle charging network shortly after unveiling charging technology with a peak output of up to 2,250 kW per connection. Chinese media reports indicate that charging stations branded “Smart Charging C12” are already operating or being installed in five cities: Hangzhou, Shanghai, Ningbo, Jiaxing and Xi’an.
According to reports, Geely’s new charging system can deliver up to 2,250 kW through a single connection. The company says the technology can enable compatible electric vehicles from its Zeekr and Lynk & Co brands to charge from 10% to 97% in less than nine minutes.
Smart Charging C12 Targets 12C Charging
Geely reportedly uses the Smart Charging C12 name for its new megawatt-class charging stations, with C12 referring to a maximum charging rate of 12C.
The C-rate measures charging or discharging speed relative to a battery’s nominal capacity. At 1C, a battery can theoretically be fully charged or discharged in one hour. A 12C rate would correspond to five minutes under ideal conditions.
However, the 12C figure represents peak rather than continuous charging power, meaning the actual charging time is longer.
The technology puts Geely’s charging system above BYD’s passenger-car megawatt charging technology in terms of peak power. BYD’s Flash Charging system can deliver up to 1,500 kW through a single connection.
Zeekr and Lynk & Co Models Access High Charging Power
The Zeekr 001 and Lynk & Co 10 are currently among the Geely models capable of making use of the new high-power charging technology to some extent.
Car News China reports that both models can reach peak charging power of approximately 1,100 kW. Geely is also developing a 1,000-volt high-voltage architecture that could reduce the charging time from 10% to 80% to less than 5.5 minutes.
The Zeekr 001 currently uses a 783-volt electrical system, while the Lynk & Co 10 operates with a 773-volt system.
New Battery and Charging Technology
Geely unveiled its latest charging technology in Ningbo last week alongside its new 12C battery, known as the Shendun Golden Battery, and the company’s fifth generation of charging equipment.
The charging system is designed to manage the high power levels through an intelligent control platform called Xingrui PowerMind. Geely developed the system jointly with Chinese artificial intelligence company StepFun.
Xingrui PowerMind connects the vehicle, battery, charging equipment, cloud platform, electricity grid and stationary energy storage system. It continuously adjusts charging strategies according to operating conditions.
The system is also designed to predict battery temperature up to 30 seconds in advance and adjust charging power accordingly.
Liquid Cooling Manages High Charging Power
Geely says its thermal-management strategy aims to keep the average battery temperature during fast charging below 55 degrees Celsius, with peak temperature remaining below 65 degrees Celsius.
A liquid-cooling system supports the charging process across the stationary battery storage system, charging equipment, cable and connector, and vehicle battery.
The approach is intended to manage the heat generated by extremely high charging power while maintaining charging performance.
Megawatt Charging Competition Intensifies in China
Competition over ultra-fast charging has accelerated in China’s electric vehicle market, with automakers and battery manufacturers increasingly developing both high-power batteries and the charging infrastructure required to support them.
BYD had installed 10,000 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 and plans to build 10,000 megawatt-class charging stations by the end of 2027.
The developments indicate that charging infrastructure is becoming an increasingly important part of efforts to reduce charging times for electric vehicles.
Geely Plans Ultra-Fast Charging Network in Germany
Geely also plans to expand its high-power charging technology beyond China, with Germany identified as a target market in Europe.
Through its Geely Auto subsidiary, the company is seeking local partners to develop ultra-fast charging stations with charging capacities of up to 1,000 kW.
The Xingrui PowerMind system is also planned for these European charging installations. However, Geely has not indicated a specific timeline for building the European network.
The company also has not indicated that the 12C charging standard being pursued in parts of China will be adopted for its European charging infrastructure.