by Zhuang Jian

CATL, BYD and Huawei are among the companies racing to develop ultra-fast charging solutions. Ahead of Auto Shanghai, CATL unveiled its second-generation Shenxing supercharging battery, boosting peak charging rates to 12C—allowing an EV to gain 2.5 kilometers of range per second. This surpasses the flash-charging battery BYD launched last month, which enables 2 kilometers of range per second.

The breakthrough brings EVs closer to matching gasoline vehicles in refueling speed, addressing a longstanding limitation.

Speaking at an industry event on April 22, He Bo, VP of Huawei Digital Power, said the number of EV models supporting supercharging had jumped from just over 20 in 2022 to more than 200 today, declaring the era of widespread supercharging for passenger vehicles fully underway.

Huawei, which entered the EV charger market two years ago with plans to deploy 100,000 supercharging piles, said its chargers can add 200 kilometers of range in five minutes—described as offering a “full charge over a cup of coffee.” Initial concerns over market readiness have since been eclipsed by rapid adoption, He said.

BYD is also ramping up infrastructure efforts, announcing plans to build 4,000 megawatt-class flash-charging stations to improve vehicle-charger compatibility. Huawei, meanwhile, aims to extend its supercharging technology beyond passenger vehicles into heavy-duty commercial trucks.

Star Charge, one of China’s largest EV charging operators, also sees a future where supercharging plays a bigger role, though not to the exclusion of other charging methods. Li Hongqing, senior VP of Star Charge, said supercharging will coexist with destination and home charging depending on usage scenarios and cost factors.

Supercharging stations come with a higher price tag, costing 1.5 to 2 times more than standard chargers. Many stations install one supercharger for every 10 chargers to balance investment and demand.

Meanwhile, battery swapping technology is also gaining fresh momentum.

At Auto Shanghai, CATL announced partnerships with GAC Group, BAIC Group and three other carmakers to launch 10 new EV models compatible with its swap system, with rollouts starting in the fourth quarter.

CATL chairman Yuqun Zeng has predicted that by 2030, battery swapping, home charging and public charging will each account for about one-third of EV refueling.

Despite the heavy investment and long payback periods associated with swapping, the model offers convenience and flexibility. Drivers are no longer tied to a single battery and can choose batteries based on usage needs. CATL has said all its latest technologies will be applied to its swap-compatible battery systems.

CATL is building out its "chocolate" swap stations—facilities that combine swapping and charging services—mirroring the hybrid model adopted by EV maker Nio. Nio, seen as an early pioneer of battery swapping, has built more than 3,000 swap stations alongside 26,000 charging piles across China. During this year’s Lunar New Year holiday, Nio reported that energy supplied through swapping was three times that of traditional charging at its hybrid stations.

Still, most Chinese battery makers remain cautious about entering the swapping market, citing the heavy capital burden. A senior executive from a second-tier battery maker told Jiemian News earlier this year that only CATL, with its record 50.7 billion yuan (US$7 billion) net profit in 2024, has the financial strength to scale such investments.

Building a single CATL swap station costs more than 1 million yuan, not including additional expenses such as land, construction and battery inventory. CATL plans to build 1,000 new swap stations this year alone, with a long-term goal of 30,000.

With CATL commanding over 40 percent of China's EV battery market, its aggressive expansion into swapping is reshaping industry strategies—pushing automakers to invest in both supercharging and swapping to meet evolving consumer demands.