Xpeng unveils its new high-power charging point of up to 800 kW

The Chinese electric carmaker Xpeng has just unveiled all the details of its striking new high-power charging point, which it has named S5 Supercharger. The company plans to launch it commercially in the third quarter of this year, at which point it will be one of the charging points offering one of the highest charging powers on the entire market, capable of reaching no less than 800 kW.

According to Xpeng, the S5 Supercharger stands out for its liquid cooling system, absolutely essential to deliver the aforementioned maximum power of 800 kW, which translates into 800 amps at a maximum voltage of 1,000 volts.

Currently, the most powerful charger from the Chinese manufacturer is the S4 model, which went on sale in 2022. This high-power charging point offers a maximum power of 480 kW. A figure that even today seems more than sufficient, since only a handful of electric vehicles are capable of accepting such a high charging power.

The arrival of the S5 represents, nevertheless, a significant advance in the company’s fast-charging infrastructure offering, which will allow it to consolidate its position in the electric vehicle market in China. The S5 is expected to enter operation at some of Xpeng’s charging stations on Chinese territory from the third quarter of 2024.

Xpeng’s charging network is one of its main assets

Xpeng currently has 1,300 charging stations in its home country, of which 1,000 are “supercharging” stations. The company also has ambitious plans for the future, which will lead it to significantly expand its network over the coming years. According to internal company sources, Xpeng plans to have around 10,000 charging stations by 2026, and 4,500 of them will feature high-power, liquid-cooled fast-charging points.

The launch of the S5 charging station comes against a backdrop of growing competition among electric carmakers in China, not only in vehicle development but also in charging infrastructure. An example of this competition is NIO, which in December presented a 640 kW charger together with the fourth generation of its battery swapping station.