The Big Picture

Supercharging and battery swap in race to cut EV charging times in China

  • China
  • 7 min read
  • Sep 16, 2020
  • By Wang Xiao'e

© NIO

Supercharging can slash EV charging times but has technological challenges. Hence battery swapping is on the rise in China, with state support

To fully charge an electric vehicle (EV) battery in China today can take as little as 1.5–2.5 hours, or more than 10 hours, depending on whether slow or fast charging is used. Concerns about insufficient range and long charging times are the main reasons why many car owners are still slow to switch to EVs. EV makers understand that and have been exploring ways to slash charging times.
Supercharging is a popular choice. Pioneers in the field, including Tesla, Porsche and China’s BAIC BJEV, have been doubling down on supercharging technology with noticeable progress. Porsche’s first mass-prod...

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