Li Auto joins forces with CNPC on ultra-fast charging stations in China
In February this year, Li Auto announced its plans to build more than 10,000 of its fast-charging stations in China by 2025, which was more than three times as many as Li Auto officially announced in April 2023. According to Car News China, Li Auto’s charging network already covers over 70% of China’s major economic hubs and national highway corridors.
Li Auto reports that it has already constructed 448 “supercharging stations,” by June 17, with a total of 2,016 charging columns across China. By “supercharging stations,” the company means its 5C chargers, which represent the idea that the battery can be charged five times within an hour. Last year, the company announced that it plans to invest 10 billion yuan (1.4 billion USD) to build a network of 3000 superchargers around China by 2025.
Now, another 2,000 of Li’s charging stations are to be constructed, along with the 10,000 charging columns at CNPC service stations. This coverage is said to represent a presence in more than 90% of tier-one and tier-two city centres and over 70% along national Chinese highways.
Li Auto’s Head of Charging Network, Sun Guangmin, explained, “The collaboration will further drive the expansion of our Li 5C supercharging network, bringing a convenient charging experience akin to refuelling for our customers.”
The company, which previously specialised in hybrid models with range extenders (EREV), announced five BEV models by 2025 at the latest Auto China in Shanghai, which will be based on an 800-volt platform. For the first of the planned BEV models, the electric van Mega, Li Auto is relying on particularly fast-charging (5C) Qilin batteries from CATL. With the 102.7 kWh energy content announced for the Mega, the battery should therefore be able to be charged with over 500 kW.
Li Auto’s partner in the endeavour CNPC is no stranger to electric vehicles. In 2022, CNPC partnered with automaker SAIC and battery-making giant CATL along with the other major oil Chinese oil company Sinopec in a joint venture to promote EVs with replaceable batteries. The two Chinese oil companies Sinopec and China National Petroleum (CNPC) are providing the sites and taking over the supply of clean energy to the battery swapping based on their existing filling station networks.
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