The war on range anxiety continues, as more and more automakers unveil new battery packs that support ultra-fast charging. The latest to step up the game is Geely-owned Zeekr, with a new lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery that can add 311 miles (500 km) of range in just 15 minutes when plugged into a compatible charger.
The first model to benefit from the “Golden Battery” will be the Zeekr 007 electric sedan, followed by “several” other vehicles. Thanks to a charging capability of up to 500 kW, the battery of uknown capacity will be able to charge from 10% to 80% in just 15 minutes, adding the afforementioned 500 km (311 miles) of range in the process. The new Tesla-rivaling sedan from China is based on the PMA2+ architecture which is a derivative of Geely’s SEA platform, and promises to offer up to 870 km (541 miles) of CLTC range.
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Wihle LFP (lithium-iron-proshapte) batteries usually have lower energy density compared to NMC (nickel-maganese-cobalt) batteries, Zeekr engineers managed to overturn that with clever design. By using new materials and a “simplified structural design”, the company achieved an impressive volume utilization rate of 83.7% which means that the new battery pack will be compact and energy-dense. For a good measure, the CATL Qilin nickel-manganese-cobalt battery which is currently used in Zeekr’s 001 shooting brake and 009 minivan has a significantly lower volume utilization rate of 72%.
Despite its high density, Zeekr insists that its new battery is very safe and fire resistant. Its resilience was allegedly proven by strict safety tests conducted by the National Motor Vehicle Quality Inspection and Testing Center in China.
The “Golden Battery” will be manufacturedy by Geely in Quzhou, Zhejiang. By developing and producing its own batteries in-house, the automaker aims to reduce its dependence from external suppliers and lower the production costs of EVs becoming even more competitive in this rapidly evolving landscape. A similar strategy is followed by rival brand Nio which recently announced the development of its own battery pack.
Autocar reports tha Zeekr’s new lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) unit will eventually find its way into EVs from other Geely-owned brands including Geometry, Polestar, Proton, Smart, Volvo, and even Lotus.
If you are wondering about charging stations, Zeekr has pledged to expand its charging network in China to include over 10,000 ultra-fast charging piles by 2026, up from the currently available 2,200 units in 401 locations. Still, the charging rate of 360 kW that is currently offered by these charger doesn’t exploit the 500 kW charging capability of the Zeekr 007.
