EVgo says its 750kW EV stations will hit the US in 2027 for 10-minute charges — but China is racing ahead with MegaWatt stations that are twice as fast
Next generation equipment is slated to arrive next year in the US
- EVGo says dynamic power sharing delivers the right charge to all EVs
- Up to 750kW could charge EVs in less than 10 minutes
- But China is still racing ahead with megawatt charging capabilities
One of the largest and most “highly utilized” public fast charging providers in the US has revealed details of its next generation equipment that can deliver up to 750kW charging speeds, which will be enough to top up some of the fastest charging EVs on sale in around ten minutes.
While there aren’t any models on the market that can charge at the full 750kW rate, more manufacturers are starting to push the limits of what's possible, with the likes of Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Rivian all readying vehicles that can manage anywhere between 400kW to 600kW in the case of the upcoming Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe.
Once tethered, the high performance outlets could see the fastest-charging electric vehicles currently on sale charge in around ten minutes, with future models potentially topped up even faster.
But aside from touting fueling stops that are more in line with filling up a conventional gas car, EVgo says its upcoming technology will also use dynamic power sharing, which means multiple users at an individual station will theoretically receive a faster and more reliable charging experience.
The company says drivers won’t have to go hunting for specific fast-chargers, safe in the knowledge that its 750kW outlets will happily charge a car capable of 350kW speeds, as well as those that can only manage 50kW.
However, EVgo hasn't said what kind of speeds will be offered when two high-powered EVs are connected to an individual stall once. With the logical assumption being they will split the outlet and receive 350kW each. Still not bad at all.
EVgo had originally planned to roll out the next generation of equipment this year but now says the final charger design is expected to be unveiled in 2027 as it begins to deploy the new architecture.
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Analysis: China races ahead (again)
EV charging is undeniably becoming faster, with the previously unheard of 350kW fast-chargers now rolling out to ever-more locations worldwide.
That said, China is trumping the competition with its tens of thousands of megawatt-level chargers that are capable of delivering as much as 2.2MW of power in the case of Geely’s recent announcement.
According to reports, Geely has already installed its industry-leading megawatt chargers in five cities in China already, with 15,000 charging sites planned by the end of next year.
What’s more, the likes of BYD has demonstrated that it can fully charge its vehicles in under 10 minutes from its fastest chargers outside of its domestic market, but Geely is pushing this even further, suggesting that it is already working on a 1000V high-voltage architecture that will see a 10-80% charging session take as little as five and a half minutes.
Granted, its 2.2MW system can’t be used to its full potential by any EV on sale yet, but China is busy future-proofing its network, ensuring it can service the vast number of customers that are making a switch to electrification and be ready for those upcoming models that will likely banish range anxiety to the history books.
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Leon has been navigating a world where automotive and tech collide for almost 20 years, reporting on everything from in-car entertainment to robotised manufacturing plants. Currently, EVs are the focus of his attentions, but give it a few years and it will be electric vertical take-off and landing craft. Outside of work hours, he can be found tinkering with distinctly analogue motorcycles, because electric motors are no replacement for an old Honda inline four.
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