With the rapid deployment of ultra-fast charging infrastructure across the country, will “charging anxiety” for new energy vehicle (NEV) owners soon become a thing of the past? How close are we to making EV charging as convenient as refueling?

Ultra-fast charging construction speeds up nationwide

In Fuchengmen, Beijing, the “Neng+ Ultra-Fast Charging” station operated by Jingneng Group is equipped with two 600 kW ultra-fast chargers and eight 250 kW fast chargers, offering high-power charging services for NEVs.

According to the company, NEV models using 800-V high-voltage platforms can charge from 20% to 80% in just 8–10 minutes with a 600 kW ultra-fast charger.

Currently, traditional charging facilities mainly include AC slow chargers and DC fast chargers. AC slow chargers, typically around 7 kW, are mainly used in private charging scenarios, while DC fast chargers usually exceed 40 kW and are deployed in public charging stations.

Ultra-fast chargers, defined as DC chargers with power ratings above 250 kW, are typically installed at highway service areas and key commercial zones to meet rapid power-replenishment demands in high-traffic, high-consumption scenarios.

According to data from the National Energy Administration (NEA), by the end of June this year, China had 16.1 million EV charging connectors in total, including 4.096 million public chargers and 12.004 million private chargers. High-power chargers are still relatively scarce, mainly concentrated in key regions such as Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, the Yangtze River Delta, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle.

“China’s public charging market is currently characterized by low-power dominance, insufficient fast-charging penetration, and early-stage development of ultra-fast charging,” said Jian Xiaorong, Director of Fiscal and Financial Policy Research at the China Automotive Strategy and Policy Research Center.

To guide the orderly development of high-power charging, the National Development and Reform Commission, the NEA, and other ministries released a notice in July, targeting over 100,000 high-power charging units nationwide by the end of 2027, with improved service quality and upgraded technologies.

Across the country, construction is accelerating. Shenzhen has launched the “Ultra-Fast Charging City 2.0” initiative, with 1,057 ultra-fast charging stations already in operation as of June—exceeding the number of gas stations. Sichuan plans to build 180 fast chargers and 20 ultra-fast stations at highway service areas this year. Jingneng Group has put 32 ultra-fast stations into operation in Beijing, with over 50 planned by year-end.

The NEA stated that it will guide provincial authorities to set reasonable high-power charging development targets, upgrade facilities with heavy holiday-period usage above 40%, and prioritize deployment in dense urban areas, transport hubs, and specialized medium- and heavy-duty vehicle scenarios.

Technology and standards constantly improving

A 250 kW charger draws power equivalent to hundreds of air conditioners; megawatt-level charging equals thousands. Such high power places greater demands on technological sophistication, stability, and safety.

According to an NEA official, the main technical challenges include:

1. Thermal management — Natural cooling no longer suffices, requiring advanced solutions like liquid cooling.

2. Power distribution — More power modules require dynamic allocation and scheduling.

3. Electrical insulation — Higher voltages demand improved insulation and protection.

To enhance charging-port safety, experts note that modern interfaces incorporate anti-shock design features, such as safety protection for each metal contact to prevent short circuits. Improved sealing materials have also enhanced dust- and water-resistance ratings.

Smart algorithms play an important role as well. Wang Zhiwu, President of Huawei Digital Power’s Intelligent Charging Network division, explained that Huawei’s fully liquid-cooled ultra-fast chargers use intelligent algorithms to precisely control current, dynamically track battery requirements, optimize power allocation, and respond rapidly to abnormalities—protecting battery lifespan and vehicle safety.

As multiple stakeholders participate in high-power charger deployment, improving technical standards is crucial for ensuring high-quality industry development and better user experience.

Since 2023, China has introduced a series of national standards covering charging systems, communication protocols, and charging interfaces. In August this year, two mandatory national standards—Safety Requirements for EV Power Supply Equipment and Safety Requirements for EV Conductive Charging Systems—officially took effect, further strengthening safety and reliability.

Industry experts note that while China has largely unified standards between vehicles and chargers domestically, international standards still vary, and global standardization organizations are working toward alignment.

Tackling pain points through coordinated efforts

Despite rapid progress, challenges remain.

An executive from a charging-facility investment company noted: “Construction is constrained by limited land and power capacity in built-up urban areas.” Low- and mid-power chargers already occupy most prime locations, where electrical loads are reaching saturation. High-power chargers also require high upfront investment, at least six months of construction time, and a typical payback period of over eight years—creating significant financial pressure.

To enhance resource and policy support, the NEA stated it will integrate high-power charging planning with distribution-grid planning, expand and upgrade grids in advance, encourage long-term leases of over 10 years, and promote research on subsidy and incentive mechanisms. Local governments may also support construction via special bonds.

On the user side, older EV models often cannot accept high-power charging. Jian Xiaorong noted that some models can unlock higher charging power via OTA upgrades, but vehicles without 800-V architecture cannot support 800-V charging due to hardware limitations.

Accelerated deployment of high-power charging will push the NEV industry chain toward faster upgrades. According to Zosi Auto Research, 800–1000 V high-voltage platform passenger-vehicle sales reached 840,000 units in China in 2024, up 185% year-on-year, with a market penetration of 6.9%. Penetration is expected to reach 9.5% in 2025 and exceed 35% by 2030.

However, communication protocols between charging-pile brands and operators remain inconsistent, and interoperability issues persist among charging-operation systems, automaker systems, aggregation platforms, and map services.

The NEA said it will coordinate research institutions and associations to accelerate standards covering equipment testing, metering, site construction, and operations. It will prioritize standards for interoperability testing and protocol consistency, require automakers and operators to strictly follow unified standards, address compatibility issues, and fully implement new mandatory standards while enhancing safety certification systems for high-power charging facilities.