Finaly.. A GAC-Aion 480kW fast charger has been revealed
GAC Aion, a Chinese electric vehicle maker, recently debuted its A480 fast charger, which can charge its upcoming new Aion V SUV from 30 to 80 percent in just 5 min. Though still amazing, this fast charger’s maximum charging power of 480 kW falls short of the 600 kW charger that had been rumored days ago.
GAC Aion is a subsidiary of the Guangzhou Automobile Corporation (GAC) Group in China which specializes in electric cars. Now, the company is selling 4 electric cars, along with the upcoming Aion V SUV, which will include a graphene-based battery that supports its special fast chargers.
The A480 fast charger was reportedly debuted during a GAC Aion event. Although neither the carmaker’s Chinese nor English language websites seem to contain any official information about the event. The official announcement of GAC-Aion’s A480 fast charger in China was recently covered by many local news outlets.
The term “A480” comes from the brand’s name “Aion” and also from the charger’s “480 kW” power.
At the beginning of the year, GAC Aion had originally promised that the Aion V SUV would have a range of 1000 kilometers. But, this upcoming SUV has now an NEDC range between 500 and 600 kilometers, according to the company’s website… Which makes it clear that perhaps the company’s goal of reaching 1000 kilometers is much more aspirational than it is realistic.
At GAC Aion’s latest Technology Day last month, the company teased its fast-charging charging technology. Its GAC-Aion Electric vehicle charged from 0% to 80% in 16 min and also from 30% to 80% in 10 min using the 3C charge multiplier. Using 6C, the A480 fast charger took 8 min to charge from 0% to 80% but less than 5 min to charge from 30% to 80%.
GAC Aion has been rumored to have a much higher powerful fast charger to offer, according to a fresh report published a few weeks ago. So, now that the GAC Aion fast charger has been announced, we know that the current maximum reaches 480 kW. Regardless, it is really a formidable fleet.
GAC-Aion introduces its A480 fast charger, with plans for 2,000 additional stations
Despite the fact that the debut didn’t measure up to the previously anticipated 600 kW fast charger, GAC-Aion’s A480 fast charger remains provides industry-leading charge speeds.
GAC Aion demonstrated during the presentation that their graphene-based battery can indeed be charged over 880 volts, which is rough twice the normal operating voltage of most electric vehicle batteries today. That battery also saw a maximum charge current of 560 amperes, with a maximum charging power reaching up to 480 kilowatts, and a 35.1kWh of power.
GAC Aion says that their A480 fast charger, with a 6C charging multiplier, can add 200 kilometers of range in only 5 min of charging or even charge the electric vehicle battery from 0% to 80% within 8 minutes. The carmaker stated previously that its charger can add 125 kilometers to a vehicle’s range within 5 minutes… It is really an increase of 75 kilometers since the last statement.
Its A480 fast charger, as said by GAC Aion, has really passed Twelve standards, including over-voltage, over-current, and over-temperature protection, assuring secure charging.
Despite fast-charging is typically thought to be more damaging to batteries than traditional charging techniques, GAC Aion claims that its technology allows cars to last for up to 1,000,000 km.
The A480 fast charger has an operating voltage of 880 Volts, and also the manufacturer plans to start mass-producing this fast-charging technology by September, with the Aion V model being the first car to get it.
Furthermore, at the A480’s 6C speeds, GAC Aion claims that its battery could charge from 30% to 80% within 4 minutes and 50 seconds. This is really a 10-sec improvement over the previously mentioned 5-min time.
To attain these claimed speeds, GAC-Aion’s unique batteries will need their special A480 fast chargers. In Guangzhou, the carmaker has already installed one fast charger station & expects to build 2000 more by 2025.
Before anybody doubles down on GAC-Aion‘s promise to become a Tesla-beater, though, several of the company’s promises must definitely need to be proved out in international markets & independent testing.
