During China’s recent five-day May Day holiday, a record number of travelers hit the road in New Energy Vehicles (NEVs), thanks to the country’s rapidly expanding charging infrastructure and smarter energy services.
Starting on May 1, the holiday offered an extended break for millions seeking travel and leisure. With over 13.7 million charging units installed nationwide by the end of March 2023—a year-on-year increase of more than 47 percent according to the National Energy Administration (NEA)—NEV drivers enjoyed smoother, long-distance journeys.
In bustling cities like Beijing, NEV owners expressed their satisfaction with the ease of charging amid the holiday rush. “The charging service is really smart,” said Liu Jiangtao, an NEV owner. “There are plenty of chargers here, and it’s really convenient. Plus, there’s even a lounge to rest in.”
To meet the surge in demand, service areas across the country deployed mobile charging vehicles and boosted staff numbers to provide technical support. “These mobile charging vehicles are flexible and can handle urgent needs on site,” explained Yang Guang, deputy general manager of State Grid (Beijing) New Energy Vehicle Co.
Technological innovations are transforming the NEV charging experience. From automated robots to smart monitoring systems and ultra-fast charging stations, new tools are making charging faster and more efficient. The NEA is now coordinating with relevant departments to draft new guidelines for building high-power charging stations.
“High-power charging should be prioritized on highways to meet fast-charging needs,” said Liu Yongdong, deputy secretary-general of the China Electricity Council. “In mega-cities, we also need to build more infrastructure to serve taxis, commercial vehicles, and private cars.”
So far, more than 38,000 charging units have been installed along highways, covering 98 percent of service areas across the country, according to the NEA. At the Cicheng service area on the Shengyang-Haikou Expressway—the largest highway charging station in east China’s Zhejiang Province—47 chargers were operating at full capacity during the holiday.
“We have staff on-site to assist NEV drivers and have deployed two mobile charging vehicles to meet demand at any time, ensuring worry-free travels during the holiday,” said Ding Zheqiang, a staff member at the State Grid Ningbo Power Supply Company.
Around the nation, China is accelerating the rollout of fast and ultra-fast charging stations to enhance the NEV travel experience. On the Rongcheng-Wuhai Expressway’s Wendeng service area, newly installed 160-kilowatt dual-gun chargers cut wait times by 70 percent. “This charger is amazing,” said traveler Yang Xing. “It took just 30 minutes to go from 50 percent to full. It was a great charging experience.”
Meanwhile, in Shenzhen’s popular coastal destination Dameisha, a newly launched ultra-fast demonstration charging station saw peak usage during the holiday. Utilizing cutting-edge 600-kilowatt liquid-cooled technology, an NEV could gain up to 500 kilometers of range in just 10 minutes. “Dameisha also offers a mix of fast, slow, and V2G (vehicle-to-grid) chargers, capable of serving up to 13 vehicles at once,” said Zheng Jie, operations manager at Southern Power Grid’s Yantian Branch.
With these advancements, NEV drivers across China can look forward to more convenient and efficient travels, as the nation continues to power up its green infrastructure.
