Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker Zeekr has unveiled a new ultra-fast charger capable of delivering 1.2 megawatts (MW) of power per charging gun, surpassing the 1-MW charger introduced by rival BYD earlier this month.
Zeekr will officially launch its fully liquid-cooled charging system in the second quarter, setting a new benchmark in high-speed charging, the company’s vice president, Zhao Yuhui, announced at the China EV100 Forum. The technology is expected to debut at the Shanghai auto show in April, Zhao added, marking a shift toward ultra-fast charging at the megawatt level.
See also: BYD Unveils Super e-Platform with 1,000-kW Charging, Adding 2 km of Range Per Second
Over the past three years, Zeekr has progressively increased its supercharger power from 360 kW to 600 kW and then to 800 kW. As of now, the company’s charging network, Zeekr Power, operates 826 supercharging stations with 4,007 charging units.
Despite the breakthrough, no current passenger vehicles are capable of utilizing the full 1.2-MW charging capacity, a Zeekr spokesperson told CnEVPost.
See also: Zeekr Unveils G-Pilot Smart Driving System, Expands L3 Capabilities
BYD, meanwhile, introduced its 1-MW charger on March 17, claiming it can add 2 kilometers of range per second or 400 kilometers in five minutes. The company has begun rolling out a network of supercharging stations to support the technology, with 4,000 stations planned and an initial batch of 500 set to go live in early April.
BYD’s new Han L sedan and Tang L SUV, which support ultra-fast charging, are expected to be officially launched in early April following their pre-sale announcement last month.
See also: Zeekr Unveils 9X as Its First Hybrid Flagship SUV
