A Paris-Lyon in just 11 minutes?

No, Elon Musk’s Hyperloop is not operational. However, the Zeekr 001 promises you this feat with its charging capabilities.

We keep telling you that the real challenge of electric vehicles is not in the total range but in the speed of charging. Who would care about having only 250 km of range if it takes less than 5 minutes to refill the kWh?

Today, the additional kilometer of range is paid for in weight on the scale. What glory can a manufacturer have when it boasts about the remarkable range of a new model that exceeds 3 tons on the scale? More weight means more stress on the vehicle’s components, leading to lower reliability and a reduced lifespan. It increases tire and brake wear, resulting in additional pollution. It adds inertia, thus increasing danger. But above all, it requires more energy to ensure movement. In short, it is a very poor direction to follow because it’s a snake eating its own tail. Yet, this is the face of the current market.

Yes to smaller batteries, lower ranges, but higher charging speeds.

We must give a big shoutout to Zeekr, a brand of the Chinese group Geely, which tirelessly works on this matter. A Zeekr 001 equipped with a 95 kWh CATL Shenxing battery has thus set a new record for a mass-produced car by going from 10% to 80% battery charge in 11 minutes and 30 seconds, gaining 470 kilometers of range. Right on target for the distance between Paris and Lyon. The maximum charging power reached 550 kW. Even more impressive, during the first charging phase at under 40%, the most efficient, the car regained 264 km of range in just 5 minutes. It is the car’s 800 V architecture that allows for such rapid charging.

Battery technology is making sensational progress every day, but the charging infrastructure must keep up. Don’t expect to achieve such results tomorrow at a Fastned or Ionity station, but perhaps the day after tomorrow?

READ ALSO: What does the new battery of the ZEEKR 001 bring?