Geely's battery charges faster than that of BYD

Not long ago we had the chance to see the new battery from BYD, which was capable of charging from 10 to 70% in five minutes. Such a low charging time means the battery is ready for a long journey in almost the same time it takes to refuel at a petrol station. All of this, of course, with a fast and powerful charger. But now, this milestone seems insufficient when compared with the proposal from another Chinese company, Geely.

This company has presented a new battery, called Energee Golden Brick, which uses a 900-volt architecture and has a capacity of 95 kWh. For the time being, this battery is intended for the brand Lynk & Co. It can charge from 10 to 70% in just four minutes and twenty-two seconds, a difference from that of BYD that is very small, but that makes all the difference.

Fast-charging technology

If we look at the charging time from 10 to 80%, it records five minutes and thirty-two seconds, and if we go up to 97%, it achieves this in eight minutes and forty-two seconds. It should be borne in mind that charging slows down after 80%, which makes the time slightly longer.

The technology behind this fast charging uses a high-voltage system together with very powerful charging hardware. Its maximum power output is 1,100 kW, with 500 kW at 75% capacity and 350 kW at 97%. This last figure exceeds that of current Western electric cars, so it is a rival to be taken into account.

That said, to achieve these times, both batteries need to use the company’s own fast chargers. This makes ultra-rapid charging difficult to achieve. Both companies have an extensive network of superchargers, although it is still insufficient in Chinese territory.

BYD is installing a comprehensive network of superchargers and is making considerable progress in this respect. However, Geely does not have as complete a network, and it may be difficult to find chargers able to supply this battery. Furthermore, voices in Europe are warning that perhaps not everything is as rosy as the Chinese companies make it sound.

Markus Fallböhmer, head of battery production at BMW, is sceptical about the efficiency of these fast-charging batteries from Chinese brands. According to him, this fast-charging system may compromise other characteristics of the battery, such as its durability, its cost or its overall performance.