Geely is pushing electric vehicle charging into megawatt territory with its new Geely Smart Charge technology, combining a 2,250 kW charging station with batteries capable of charging at up to 12C.
The Chinese automaker unveiled the next-generation charging technology in Ningbo, China, introducing what it describes as its most advanced smart charging system yet. The headline figure is a 2,250 kW peak output from a single charging gun, potentially making it one of the most powerful EV charging systems currently announced.
Geely’s approach goes beyond simply increasing charging power. The company has integrated artificial intelligence, advanced thermal management, battery technology and charging infrastructure into a single system designed to deliver extremely fast charging while controlling battery temperatures and long-term battery degradation.
Geely’s 2,250 kW charger targets ultra-fast EV charging
At the center of the new system is Geely’s fifth-generation Smart Charging Station. Its single connector can deliver up to 2,250 kW, a figure that exceeds the 1,500 kW maximum output claimed for BYD’s latest Flash Charging system.
However, the charger alone does not determine how quickly an EV can charge. Geely has developed the system around its new-generation high-performance batteries, including the Aegis Golden Brick ultra-short blade battery technology.
When combined with a battery capable of accepting up to 12C charging, Geely says an electric vehicle can charge from 10% to 70% in approximately 4 minutes and 30 seconds under normal temperature conditions.
The same battery can reportedly go from 10% to 97% in around 8 minutes and 40 seconds.
The technology is already being demonstrated in models including the Lynk & Co 10 and Zeekr 001, although actual charging performance will depend on battery size, temperature, state of charge and the available charging infrastructure.
AI controls charging power and battery temperature
Geely’s new charging system is not simply a high-powered electrical connection. It uses the company’s Xingrui PowerMind energy large model, developed with Chinese AI company StepFun, to coordinate the vehicle, battery, charging station, cloud services, power grid and energy storage.
The system includes three main functions: Extreme Charge, Smart Charge and Auto Charge.
One of the most important features is predictive thermal management. According to Geely, the AI system can forecast changes in battery temperature up to 30 seconds in advance and adjust charging power before temperatures become excessive.
The company aims to keep the battery’s average temperature below 55°C, while limiting peak temperatures to less than 65°C during high-power charging.
A test conducted by the China Automotive Technology and Research Centre (CATARC) provides an early indication of how the system performs in practice. A Lynk & Co 10 equipped with the technology reached a peak charging power of 1,093 kW.
During a 10%-to-97% charging session, the battery remained below 55°C for 57% of the charging time, with a maximum recorded temperature of 64°C.
Geely also uses liquid cooling throughout the charging system, extending from stationary energy storage and the charging station through the cable and connector to the vehicle’s battery.
12C battery technology delivers 4.5-minute charging
The high charging power is paired with Geely’s latest ultra-short blade battery technology.
The 12C battery, used in the Lynk & Co 10 and Zeekr 001, has a 395 mm design and supports a maximum charging rate of 12C. Geely says it can charge from 10% to 70% in approximately 4 minutes and 30 seconds and reach 97% in about 8 minutes and 40 seconds.
For more affordable EVs, Geely is also developing a 6C version of its next-generation Ultra Short Blade Battery. The 370 mm battery will debut in the new Geely Galaxy E5 and is designed to charge from 10% to 70% in around 8 minutes and 25 seconds.
A new laser-welding process is claimed to reduce heat generation during charging by approximately 10%, while supporting the higher charging rate.
Geely targets longer battery life despite frequent fast charging
Extremely rapid charging raises an important question: how does repeated high-power charging affect battery longevity?
Geely says its technology addresses this through a lithium-ion pulse regeneration process. The system uses controlled micro-pulses intended to reactivate lithium ions that accumulate around the negative electrode during battery operation.
When combined with AI-based charging management, Geely claims the technology can increase battery cycle life by up to 20%. The company has not yet provided a specific battery lifespan figure associated with that improvement.
Geely is also taking a different approach to everyday home charging. Rather than encouraging drivers to use ultra-fast charging for every session, the company says it is developing lower-power charging strategies designed to reduce the long-term impact of frequent high-speed charging.
Geely plans more than 100,000 charging guns by 2027
The charging hardware is only useful if drivers can access it. Geely therefore plans a major expansion of its charging network in China.
The company aims to deploy more than 100,000 charging guns nationwide by the end of 2027, including over 50,000 Geely Smart Charge units. The stated goal is to provide coverage across all counties in China.
Geely is also offering incentives to encourage adoption. Buyers of new vehicles equipped with Geely Smart Charge technology who purchase before January 1, 2028, will receive a charging allowance worth 1,000 yuan ($150) per year for two years, for a total of 2,000 yuan ($300).
The battery warranty for eligible new and existing models has also been extended from 8 years or 150,000 km to 8 years or 200,000 km.
China’s EV charging race is accelerating
Geely’s announcement comes as Chinese automakers and battery manufacturers compete to reduce EV charging times from minutes to the kind of short stops familiar to gasoline-powered vehicles.
BYD introduced a 1,500 kW Flash Charging system earlier this year and has been rapidly expanding its charging network. The company has targeted 20,000 Flash Charging stations by the end of 2026.
Other manufacturers are also developing megawatt-class charging infrastructure and increasingly powerful batteries, highlighting how the competition is shifting from simply increasing battery range to reducing the time required to replenish that range.
Geely’s 2,250 kW system represents another major step in that direction. While the headline charging power will not necessarily be available to every vehicle or during every charging session, the combination of 12C batteries, AI-controlled charging and liquid thermal management shows how quickly EV charging technology is evolving.
For drivers, the ultimate benefit could be significant: if these technologies reach widespread production and infrastructure deployment, adding hundreds of miles of driving range could eventually take only a few minutes rather than the 20 to 40 minutes commonly associated with today’s fastest public DC chargers.
