Chinese EV brand Zeekr claims new batteries debuting in its 007 electric sedan can support the world's fastest charging rates.
These batteries allow vehicles to charge from 10% to 80% in as little as 10.5 minutes at normal temperatures, Zeekr announced this week. Even at temperatures as low as 14 degrees Fahrenheit, Zeekr claims a 10%-80% charge is still possible in 30 minutes thanks to an "enhanced battery management system."
2024 Zeekr 007
Relatively few of today's EVs can charge from 10%-80%—typically seen as the benchmark for road-trip EV charging—in less than 30 minutes under any conditions. The fastest-charging EVs sold in the U.S. can generally manage a 10%-80% charge in the 18-22 minute range.
The first model to get these new batteries and take advantage of the fastest charging rates is the Zeekr 007 sedan, which starts deliveries this month. It joins the 001 hatchback, 009 minivan, and Zeekr X crossover in the lineup of this relatively new brand from Chinese automotive conglomerate Geely, which is also the parent company of Volvo, Polestar, and Lotus.
2024 Zeekr 007
Zeekr uses lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry, which is commonly used in China but is also being adopted by U.S. automakers like Tesla and Ford. Zeekr claims "optimized materials and upgraded technology" helped it achieve this charging performance, but it's not the only company making bold claims about LFP batteries. Chinese battery firm CATL in 2023 said its next-generation LFP batteries could add 250 miles of range in 10 minutes of charging.
The fastest charging battery also requires high-power charging stations. In the release, Zeekr said it had opened 500 fast-charging stations that can support 800-volt charging, totaling over 2,700 individual connectors, in its home market of China. The brand plans to expand the network to over 1,000 charging stations this year, and aims to have over 10,000 connectors in operation by 2026.
