Geely Smart Charging Raises EV Fast-Charging Benchmark

Geely Unveils New AI Charging Technology

Geely Auto has introduced Geely Smart Charging, an AI-powered charging system designed to raise the performance standard for ultra-fast electric vehicle charging. The technology was launched in Ningbo alongside the fifth-generation charging station, as competition in China’s EV market increasingly focuses on charging speed, range, and intelligent vehicle functions. The Shendun Golden Battery supports a peak charging rate of up to 12C. In tests cited by Geely, the Lynk & Co 10 and Zeekr 001 charged from 10% to 70% in 4 minutes and 30 seconds, while the Zeekr 001 reached 97% from 10% in 8 minutes and 40 seconds.

Geely’s reported charging times place its production-ready system ahead of BYD’s second-generation Blade Battery under the comparison conditions provided. BYD’s battery, paired with the company’s new-generation flash charging pile, takes 5 minutes to move from 10% to 70% and 9 minutes to reach 97% from 10% at normal temperatures. A separate test disclosed by Hongqi in July recorded a 10%-to-70% charging time of 3 minutes and 41 seconds, although Hongqi had not provided a mass-production timeline at that point. The comparison therefore spans both production-ready systems and a faster test result without a disclosed production schedule.

Reported Ultra-Fast Charging Comparison

The reported figures show how Geely’s charging technology compares with other high-speed charging developments described in the article. The Geely system combines the Shendun Golden Battery with a high-output charging station, while BYD’s figures relate to its second-generation Blade Battery and flash charging pile. Hongqi recorded a faster 10%-to-70% result in testing, but the company had not disclosed a mass-production timeline when that result was announced. These distinctions are important when comparing production-ready performance with technology demonstrated in testing.

AI Coordinates Charging Across the Energy System

The fifth-generation charging station is rated for peak charging power of 2,250 kW. That exceeds the 1,500 kW maximum single-gun output of BYD’s flash charging pile, which was described as the highest output among mass-produced chargers globally when it launched in March. Geely’s charging architecture is designed to coordinate more than the vehicle and charger alone. It links the vehicle, battery, charging station, cloud, grid, and energy storage system through Xingrui PowerMind, an energy-management AI model jointly developed with Chinese AI startup StepFun, allowing charging strategies to be tailored to individual vehicles.

Xingrui PowerMind is also intended to manage battery temperature during high-power charging. Geely said the system can predict battery temperatures up to 30 seconds ahead and dynamically adjust charging power, with a target of keeping the battery’s average temperature below 55°C and its peak temperature under 65°C during charging. A five-point liquid-cooling system supports the architecture across the charging chain, covering the station’s energy-storage battery, charging pile, cable, charging port, and battery pack. Geely described the full-chain liquid-cooling approach as an industry first, extending thermal management beyond the vehicle battery itself.

Battery Technology Addresses Charging Durability

Geely is also addressing the concern that repeated ultra-fast charging can shorten battery life. Its lithium-ion pulse restoration technology applies micro-pulse currents intended to reactivate lithium ions accumulated at the negative electrode. When combined with AI-based charging management, Geely said the approach can extend battery cycle life by up to 20%. The company is pairing this technology with a broader battery strategy that includes the next-generation Ultra Short Blade Battery for affordable models. That battery uses Geely’s in-house laser welding technology to reduce heat during charging by 10% while increasing its peak charging rate to 6C.

China’s Flash Charging Competition Expands

The charging performance comparison highlights how quickly China’s EV industry is moving toward higher-power charging systems. Geely Auto is positioning its technology directly against the charging capabilities being developed by BYD, while battery suppliers are also entering the race. BYD said it would open its 2,000th highway flash charging station in China on September 24. The company had built 10,000 flash charging stations as of August 28 and reiterated a target of 20,000 by the end of the year. Sunwoda separately unveiled a flash charging battery solution with charging metrics matching BYD’s and plans for 10,000 megawatt-level flash charging stations by the end of 2027.

Ultra-Fast Charging Becomes a System-Level Competition

The reported figures show that ultra-fast charging is becoming a system-level competition rather than a battery-only contest. Charging speed depends on the interaction between battery chemistry, thermal management, charging hardware, software controls, energy storage, and grid coordination. Geely’s approach combines these elements through AI-assisted power management and liquid cooling, while its battery technologies address both charging rate and durability. BYD’s expanding charging network adds another dimension because higher-power hardware becomes more useful when drivers can access it across more locations. For automakers and suppliers, the competitive focus is therefore extending from peak specifications toward the complete charging experience.

For consumers, the practical significance of the new technology will depend on how consistently the stated charging performance can be reproduced in real-world conditions. Battery temperature, ambient conditions, charging infrastructure, vehicle configuration, and grid availability can all affect charging behavior. Geely’s reported tests provide specific performance figures for the Lynk & Co 10 and Zeekr 001, while BYD’s comparison figures were stated for normal temperatures. The distinction matters because headline charging rates do not necessarily represent identical conditions across vehicles and systems. Production availability and broader deployment will also determine how widely the reported performance can be experienced.

Industry Impact & Outlook

The development adds another major milestone to the rapid expansion of high-power EV charging in China. Geely Auto’s combination of a 2,250 kW charging station, AI-based energy management, full-chain liquid cooling, and battery-life technology could push competitors to address charging speed alongside thermal control and durability. The immediate competitive response may involve further improvements from automakers, charging-network operators, and battery suppliers, while the longer-term effect will depend on deployment scale, vehicle compatibility, infrastructure coverage, and sustained battery performance. These factors will determine whether the latest charging advances translate into broader reductions in charging time for EV users.

Frequently Asked Questions

How fast can Geely’s new charging system charge an EV?
Geely reported that the Lynk & Co 10 and Zeekr 001 reached 70% from 10% in 4 minutes and 30 seconds during tests using the Shendun Golden Battery. The Zeekr 001 reached 97% from 10% in 8 minutes and 40 seconds. These figures were reported by Geely for its production-ready charging technology and provide a direct comparison with BYD’s stated 5-minute and 9-minute results under normal temperatures. Actual charging performance can vary with vehicle configuration, battery temperature, environmental conditions, and available charging infrastructure.

What makes Geely’s charging technology different?
Geely combines high-power charging hardware with AI-based energy management, thermal control, liquid cooling, and battery-life technology. Xingrui PowerMind coordinates the vehicle, battery, charging station, cloud, grid, and energy storage system, while the system can predict battery temperature up to 30 seconds ahead. The fifth-generation station reaches 2,250 kW peak power, and a five-point liquid-cooling system covers the charging chain. Geely also says lithium-ion pulse restoration technology can extend battery cycle life by up to 20% when combined with AI charging management.