Geely Auto Group Unveils AI-Powered Battery Charging in Under Five Minutes
Chinese automaker leverages artificial intelligence to achieve record-breaking EV charging speeds and enhance battery longevity.
Geely Auto Group, the Chinese owner of Volvo, has developed a new electric vehicle battery capable of charging in under five minutes, a development that significantly surpasses previous benchmarks. The breakthrough utilizes artificial intelligence to optimize the charging process, allowing cars to charge from 10% to 70% capacity in just four minutes and 30 seconds.
This advancement outpaces rival BYD's fastest EV battery, which achieves a 10% to 70% charge in five minutes. Geely's system, named Geely Smart Charging, employs an AI model called Xingrui PowerMind. This model coordinates various components, including the vehicle, battery, charging station, cloud, grid, and energy storage system, to enable charging beyond conventional power delivery methods.
The AI algorithms predict battery temperatures up to 30 seconds in advance, dynamically adjusting charging power to maintain optimal thermal conditions. Geely stated the system aims to keep the battery's average charging temperature below 55°C, with peak temperatures not exceeding 65°C. This thermal management is supported by a five-point liquid-cooling system that extends from the charging station's battery to the vehicle's battery pack.
Testing conducted on the Lynk & Co 10 and Zeekr 001 models demonstrated the system's capability, achieving a 10% to 70% charge in under five minutes and a 10% to 97% charge in eight minutes and 40 seconds. Beyond speed, Geely claims this approach enhances battery longevity.
The system creates personalized charging strategies for each vehicle and battery, adjusting peak current, cooling intensity, and charging duration. Additionally, Geely's technology incorporates 'lithium-ion pulse restoration,' which uses micro-pulse currents to reactivate lithium ions at the negative electrodes, a common issue with repeated fast charging. Geely reports this innovation increases the battery's cycle life by 20%.
This announcement follows BYD's recent plans to deploy 300 'flash chargers' in the UK by the end of the year, expanding to 600 by 2027. These chargers are designed to offer charging speeds comparable to refueling a gasoline vehicle, delivering a substantial 1.5 MW of power, ten times the output of typical 150 kW rapid chargers.
While BYD's chargers will be compatible with any EV using a standard CCS connection, the company notes that its proprietary software and Blade Battery 2.0 are required to achieve the maximum power intake. This rapid charging development signals a significant step forward in addressing range anxiety and improving the overall user experience for electric vehicle owners.