Geely launches world’s fastest EV charger and beats BYD Flash Charging by a spark
The Chinese giant is also using AI is enable electric cars to charge faster while protecting their batteries
Geely has just launched the world’s fastest and most powerful EV charger, with its new 2,250kW Smart Charging station able to almost fully recharge an electric car in a once-unfathomable 8 minutes 40 seconds, the company claims.
It has stolen the fast charging crown away from BYD’s Flashing Charging system that launched in the UK earlier this year. The rival firm’s units can ‘only’ pump out up to 1,500kW and take a whole nine minutes to perform the same 10 to 97 per cent top-up as Geely Smart Charging.
Geely used a Lynk & Co 10 and Zeekr 001 – electric SUVs created by two of the brands the Chinese conglomerate owns – to test its new charging technology, and also found a 10-70% charge takes less than five minutes. Importantly though, the company hasn’t disclosed yet what size the batteries in either car were, or the peak charging speeds reached.
A little help from AI
To help achieve these incredible charging performances, Geely turned to AI. Engineers used algorithms to predict how battery temperatures will rise or fall during charging and adjust the power in anticipation of that, rather than just reacting to changes. The system is designed to keep the battery’s average charging temperature below 55 degrees celsius, and not let it spike above 65 degrees.
In addition, an ‘end-to-end five-point liquid-cooling’ system manages heat across the entire charging chain from the charging station’s energy-storage battery and its charging cable, to a car’s charging port and battery pack.
New battery technology announced
Speaking of which, the company also announced two new types of battery. One is the catchily-named ‘Shendun Golden Battery’, which was developed for ultra-fast charging and high performance. Meanwhile, its next-generation ‘Ultra Short Blade Battery’ is said to focus on longevity and safety, but still delivers impressive charging abilities, Geely promises. Newly developed laser-welding technology for battery cell tabs and covers supposedly cuts heat during charging by 10 per cent, as well.
Geely is also utilising AI to help address the impacts of ultra-rapid charging on battery longevity. It’s Smart Charging technology can tailor how each vehicle is topped up in real time, adjusting the peak current, cooling intensity and charging duration.
Then there’s its new ‘lithium-ion pulse restoration’ technology. Together with the AI-assisted charging management stuff, this can supposedly increase battery cycle life by 20%. While for home charging, Geely has developed a low-rate charging strategy designed to gradually fix degradation from repeated fast charging and protect a battery’s cells over its lifecycle.
We don’t know yet if or when Geely will bring its Smart Charging technology to the UK. In the meantime however, you can scoop up a Geely EX2 electric supermini from just over £20,000 through the Auto Express Buy A Car service.
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