The car maker, owned by Geely, introduced new LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) batteries with what they call 5.5C ultra-fast charging capability. Zeekr says these batteries can charge from 10% to 80% in just 10.5 minutes when using their V3 fast chargers.
Zeekr's new batteries work even in cold weather. At -10℃ (14℉), they can still charge from 10% to 80% in 30 minutes. This is possible thanks to an improved battery management system.
The company says these new LFP batteries perform better than their current nickel-cobalt-manganese batteries. They also claim to outdo Tesla, whose Model 3 can add 175 miles (282km) of range in a 15-minute charge.
But Zeekr isn't the only one making big claims. In August 2021, another Chinese car maker, GAC-Aion, said their batteries could charge from 10% to 80% in just 8 minutes using a 6C fast charger.
Zeekr's first vehicle with the new battery will be the 2025 007 sedan, which will be available next week.
Zeekr 007
Zeekr is also working on its charging network. They already have over 500 ultra-fast charging stations with more than 2,700 charging piles across China. All of these can deliver 800V charging. The company plans to have 1,000 stations by 2024 and over 10,000 charging piles by 2026.
Zeekr is part of the Geely family, which also owns Lotus, the UK-based luxury sports car brand, and Volvo from Sweden.
As EV makers race to solve the charging time problem, it looks like Chinese companies are leading the pack. With these advancements, we might soon see EVs that can charge as quickly as it takes to fill up a gas tank.
