Another Chinese automaker has figured out how to charge an EV battery in around the time it takes to read this newsletter.
What happened: China’s Geely Auto unveiled an EV battery that can be charged from 10% to 70% in four minutes and 30 seconds. Geely said its technology incorporates AI to predict the temperature of a charging battery and adjust power flows accordingly.
BYD, another Chinese automaker, and CATL, a battery manufacturer, have developed their own “ultrafast” charging technology that also takes around five minutes.
Why it matters: The battery is the most expensive — and, arguably, the most important — part of an electric vehicle. Geely is one of several Chinese automakers bringing battery development in-house to try and bring down costs and reduce dependence on third-party battery makers, like CATL.
Faster-charging batteries also give Chinese EVs another advantage over competitors in Europe and North America, where the fastest chargers still typically take 20 to 40 minutes to bring a battery from 10% to 80% charged.
Zoom out: The breakthroughs in China’s battery industry contrast with the struggles of Canada’s nascent battery sector, which has been plagued by recent setbacks. Just last week, VW’s PowerCo announced it would delay the opening of its St. Thomas battery manufacturing plant until 2029. Earlier this year, Honda scrapped its plans to develop an EV supply chain, including battery plants in Ontario, and last year saw the collapse of the ambitious Northvolt battery project in Quebec.—TS
