Zeekr Showcases Innovative Fast Charging Batteries for EVs

Zeekr, the premium electric vehicle brand of Chinese automaker Geely, unveiled lithium iron phosphate batteries that support fast charging on Dec 14.

Zeekr is the latest manufacturer to introduce such a battery in a competitive market, as it seeks to reduce its reliance on third-party suppliers for the key component of electric vehicles, or EVs.

The company said its upcoming 007 sedan would be the first model to be equipped with the batteries, which charge sufficiently in 15 minutes to reach a driving range of 500 km (300 miles), together with an 800-volt electric system, at a battery plant owned by Zeekr's parent Geely Holding Group in the province of Zhejiang. According to Reuters, Zeekr's Chinese rival Nio, which has also been developing its own battery technologies, plans to spin off its battery manufacturing unit to reduce costs.

Zeekr's 001 crossover and 009 multipurpose vehicles (MPV) are powered by nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) batteries from CATL, the world's largest battery manufacturer. CATL has also released fast-charging batteries for use in Li Auto's first pure electric MPV MEGA, allowing for a 500 km (300 mile) driving range with a charging time of 12 minutes.