Zeekr, the premium EV brand of Chinese automotive giant Geely, has launched what it says is the fastest charging EV battery in the world.
The so-called ‘Golden battery’, a self-developed prismatic LFP battery, already had the highest peak charging power on the market but has now gone one better, supporting 5.5C ultra-fast charging.
As such, Zeekr now claims it can charge 10-80% in just 10.5 minutes, or about the time needed to nip into a motorway service station or coffee shop for a snack.
Debuting in the updated 007 sedan, a car only launched at the back end of last year, the updated battery sports optimised materials and technology and was developed by Zeekr’s in-house e-powertrain R&D team.
An enhanced battery management system also ensures a stable and quick charging experience even in ultra cold temperatures, with 10-80% charging taking just 30 minutes even at -10-degrees.
Of course, any fast-charging battery needs a charger capable of delivering the charge, and Zeekr is in the process of rolling out its latest V3 ultra-fast charging piles which can deliver up to 1000kW per pile.
They currently offer 500 such stations housing more than 2,700 piles, all of which support 800-volt charging, which most of Zeekr’s products now use, and their expansion plans aim to have 1,000 such stations by the end of the year and over 10,000 such piles by 2026.
Their stated goal is called 15 in 15, meaning all Zeekr customers should be able to reach a Zeekr charging pile within 15 minutes of their home that can charge over 500km in 15 minutes.
In addition to the new battery, Zeekr also announced the rollout of Navigation Zeekr Pilot (NZP), the brand’s own urban autonomous driving system, at the end of August. We’ll be sure to test it as soon as the opportunity arises.
