THE race to end electric car range anxiety has taken a giant leap forward with Chinese automaker Zeekr unveiling a battery that can charge in just over 10 minutes.
The upgraded lithium iron phosphate battery will charge from 10 to 80 per cent in 10½-minutes when connected to Zeekr’s V3 ultra-fast charging station, the company, which is part of auto conglomerate Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, said in a statement on Tuesday (Aug 13).
Range anxiety – the fear an EV battery will run out of juice before reaching your destination or drivers will get stuck in long queues at charging stations – is one of the main impediments to electric car adoption. That has seen hybrids gain popularity as the initial wave of EV purchases peaks, and sparked an arms race among battery makers for ever-more powerful and quicker-charging cells.
The new batteries will be available in the 2025 Zeekr 007 sedan, with deliveries to begin next week. Even in cold conditions as low as minus 10 deg C – when batteries degrade faster – the cells will be able to charge to 80 per cent in around 30 minutes, the company said. BLOOMBERG
