One signal

Geely has unveiled an AI-powered electric-vehicle charging system that it says can take a battery from 10% to 70% in under five minutes, according to Bloomberg.

Why it matters

That puts charging speed at the centre of Geely’s contest with BYD, although the claim comes from the company and the supplied report does not establish which vehicles, chargers or real-world conditions were used. Batteries, unlike press releases, tend to have opinions about heat and physics. The practical question is whether Geely can turn that headline figure into reliable public charging without excessive cost, grid upgrades or shortened battery life. If it can, waiting for an EV to charge may soon feel less like refuelling and more like stopping for a sandwich.

Discuss: Should EV makers prioritise five-minute charging even if it demands expensive grid upgrades and could add battery wear, or is a slower, cheaper network the better trade-off?

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