Electric Car: Recharge 200 km in 5 Minutes, Xpeng Did It!

Chinese automaker Xpeng has unveiled a new ultra-fast charging system with a power output of 480 kW, nearly twice that of Tesla.

Is Tesla’s and Europe’s lead in charging infrastructure becoming threatened? The American brand introduced a fast charging network—Superchargers—10 years ago. As for our traditional European manufacturers, they reacted. Late, but they developed a car, the Porsche Taycan, capable of 270 kW charging power, while Ionity stations deliver 350 kW (using equipment from Swiss company ABB). China goes even further with Xpeng.

Max power of 480 kW

Xpeng, or Xiaopeng in its original name, is still seen as a startup not taken seriously. Similar to Tesla in its early days. It is true that its sleek products imitate American models, Porsche, Range Rover, and other prominent Western brands. But without cloning. Its sales are not insignificant either: 220,000 units since its debut at the end of 2018.

Now, it’s essential to consider this brand along with its new charging solution. During its “Supercharging Media Day” event on August 15, 2022, Xpeng unveiled “S4” charging stations delivering 480 kW of power. Is this a lot? Yes, far beyond Ionity or Fastned (300 kW), while Tesla tops out at 250 kW. In China, Nio also announced 500 kW chargers in July. GAC launched its 480 kW chargers last year and already promises 600 kW.

“With supercharging, users will never fear running out of battery again, and it transforms the electric mobility sector,” states CEO Xiaopeng He. “Xpeng’s offerings in charging, electric vehicles, battery tech, and charging stations will really take off between 2023 and 2025.” The company has also surpassed 1,000 charging stations covering 337 cities in China.

Xpeng G9: The Charging Star

This is because 480 kW chargers don’t work alone. If such power exists, one of the products must accept it. The Xpeng G9, launched in China a few months ago, is the electric car capable of handling that much electricity. This large SUV delivers a motor power of up to 405 kW (543 hp, and a torque of 717 Nm), rivaling the Tesla Model Y, Nio ES6, and Li One.

Its 96 kWh batteries operate at 800 Volts, similar to the Hyundai Ioniq 5. The G9 can recover 200 km of range in just 5 minutes! This is for a low initial charge rate, below 30%.

“In the past, it took an hour to charge a 10% to 80% battery,” recalls Xiaopeng He. “We will make supercharge technology available for all our cars, allowing them to recharge in just 20 to 30 minutes.” The Hyundai Ioniq 5 achieves this in 18 minutes. A very brief peak before quickly decreasing?

The Xpeng S4 “superchargers” will arrive in China in fall 2022. Regarding the brand’s presence in Europe, it started in Norway, then Sweden, Denmark, and the Netherlands. The invasion is underway.

Also read: Fast Charging: Belib’ Deploys “Hub” Stations in Paris