Geely is developing a new 1,000-volt architecture for electric cars to further reduce charging times. The Chinese group has already installed charging points with peak outputs of up to 1,500 kW. Its latest charging tests show just how quickly its current models can recharge.
In its current electric vehicles, Geely is increasingly adopting 800-volt technology. According to the group, this high-voltage architecture covers not only the battery but also components such as electric motors, power electronics, chargers, and wiring.
The Chinese carmaker is now developing the next stage: a 1,000-volt architecture and drive systems with even higher voltages. Geely has not yet provided specific technical details about the new system.
One thing is clear: the already short charging times of its current models are set to become even shorter. The group’s Lynk & Co 01 recently demonstrated what is possible. During a test, the electric saloon took just 5 minutes and 32 seconds to charge its battery from 10 to 80%. Charging from 10 to 97% took 8 minutes and 42 seconds.
Up to 1.5 MW
Geely has already taken a leading role in charging infrastructure. In March, the group announced that it had installed more than 2,100 Zeekr charging points, each with a peak output of up to 1,500 kW. Current vehicles cannot yet utilize this power, but the new 1,000-volt architecture is expected to bridge the technical gap between vehicles and the existing charging infrastructure.
Geely has not confirmed whether future production models will actually charge at up to 1.5 MW. A higher system voltage alone is not enough. The battery, thermal management, and charging curve must also support such high power levels. Ultimately, the key factor is not just peak power but how long high charging power can be maintained.
BYD a step ahead
With this development, Geely is entering a field in which its Chinese competitor, BYD, is already a step ahead. BYD’s Super e-Platform, introduced in 2025, also operates at 1,000 volts and is already used in production vehicles such as the Han L EV and Tang L EV.
The redesigned Blade Battery enables charging powers exceeding 1,000 kW. The Han L EV is said to add around 400 kilometers of CLTC range in just five minutes.
To complement this, BYD has developed its so-called Megawatt Flash Charger. This charger is technically capable of up to 1,360 kW, although two cables must be connected simultaneously to the vehicle to achieve the highest charging powers. BYD originally announced plans to install more than 4,000 such charging points and even planned to roll them out in Europe.
Fast-charging race
Geely’s 1,000-volt architecture is therefore less a technological solo effort and more the next step in a race long underway in the Chinese market.
Alongside BYD, battery manufacturer CATL is also competing: its second-generation Shenxing battery is expected to charge at up to 1.3 MW and add up to 520 kilometers of CLTC range in just five minutes.
Alternative battery concepts
In parallel, Geely is also working on alternative battery concepts. From 2027, the group plans to test its first vehicles with solid-state batteries.
For the most advanced variant, Geely promises an energy density of up to 500 Wh/kg and ranges exceeding 1,000 kilometers. It may still be some time before these batteries are widely used in series production.
