When charging a car is as efficient as turning over a restaurant table for the next diners.
During the Spring Festival in 2026, the charging volume of new energy vehicles across the country, especially on highways, increased significantly year-on-year, hitting a new historical high. According to the monitoring data of the National Energy Administration, in the first three days of the Spring Festival holiday (from February 15th to 17th), the total number of charging times for new energy vehicles on highways reached 1.4099 million, and the average daily charging volume reached 11.8008 million kilowatt-hours, a year-on-year increase of 63.05% compared with the same period of last Spring Festival.
Behind the surging charging demand are the many pain points of new energy vehicle owners traveling across provinces in the past. During holidays, the outbound traffic would queue up for a long time at highway service areas to charge. Problems such as low power of charging piles, equipment failures, and non - matching standards were common. Many owners delayed their trips due to energy replenishment, and even disputes arose. Now, with the technological iteration and improved layout of charging infrastructure, such dilemmas are being changed.
Heading west along the Shenjiahu Expressway and reaching the Fengjing Service Area on the G60 Shanghai - Kunming Expressway at the junction of Zhejiang and Shanghai, the charm of the Jiangnan region with its white - washed walls and black - tiled roofs comes into view. As the "first gateway" for Shanghai to go out of the province in the west, this place is not only a transportation node between Zhejiang and Shanghai but also an energy replenishment station for passing vehicles.
The first highway super - charging station in Shanghai, built by the State Grid Shanghai Electric Power Company, is located here. Previously, the Fengjing Service Area charging station was equipped with 26 DC fast - charging piles. Now, the super - fast charging equipment with "one machine, four piles, and eight guns" complements the original fast - charging piles, and can provide super - charging services for 16 new energy vehicles simultaneously. This significantly improves the overall energy replenishment efficiency of the service area, alleviates the "range anxiety" and "charging anxiety" of new energy vehicle owners, and makes the journey home and for travel smoother.
Charge one kilowatt - hour in one minute, with efficiency nearly five times higher
On February 27th, just after the Spring Festival holiday, the traffic flow on the highway gradually became stable. Entering the Fengjing Service Area, most of the charging piles were operating in an orderly manner, and from time to time, new energy vehicles drove in for energy replenishment. The super - charging station became the first choice for most owners, and many owners deliberately parked their cars in the super - charging area. A reporter from "IT Times" noticed that 6 or 7 out of the 8 super - charging guns were in working condition. Vehicles could be charged as soon as they arrived and left as soon as the charging was completed, with a high turnover rate.
"Previously, I felt that queuing for charging was very slow. Now, with super - charging, I can charge enough to relieve my anxiety while having a cup of coffee and a meal. I charged 15 kilowatt - hours in 15 minutes and will be able to set off soon." A NIO owner who was charging was sitting leisurely in his car. He told the reporter from "IT Times" that he came from Hangzhou and just took a rest during the charging time. "The operation is also relatively convenient. You just need to scan the 'e - charging' QR code on the pile and follow the prompts."
Previously, the Fengjing Service Area could meet the charging needs of most new energy vehicle owners during non - peak hours. However, with the continuous increase in the number of new energy vehicles, in recent years, during holidays, the average daily number of charging times at the charging facilities in the Fengjing Service Area would surge to over 1,000 times, far exceeding the normal level.
The newly added super - charging equipment in the Fengjing Service Area adopts technologies such as liquid - cooled circulation heat dissipation. The maximum single - gun power can reach 640 kilowatts, and the charging efficiency is nearly five times higher than that of ordinary DC fast - charging piles, which can fully meet the charging needs of mainstream high - voltage platform models on the market.
"In actual operation, the super - charging station can stably output a power of over 400 kilowatts, achieving an efficient energy replenishment efficiency of 'one kilowatt - hour per minute'." Master Ding, an operation and maintenance personnel from Shanghai Electric Power Industry Co., Ltd., told the reporter from "IT Times" that during the Spring Festival, the charging demand in the Fengjing Service Area remained at a high level. The highest single - day charging volume reached 13,000 kilowatt - hours, equivalent to the full - day charging volume of a bus station with 40 charging piles. The maximum single - day number of charging times could reach seven or eight hundred, and the electricity contributed by the super - charging piles accounted for about half.
The high - power super - charging not only improves the charging speed of a single vehicle but also directly drives a qualitative change in the charging efficiency and service capacity of the entire service area. Data shows that the daily utilization rate of the 8 super - charging guns at this super - charging station is close to 50%, which is an extremely high level in the industry, equivalent to an average of 4 charging guns operating around the clock every day. "Super - charging is like turning over tables in a restaurant. The faster the charging, the faster the vehicle leaves, and the subsequent vehicles can take their places in time." Master Ding introduced.
It is understood that during the Spring Festival, the high - speed stations under the jurisdiction of Shanghai Electric Power Industry Co., Ltd. completed a total of 27,605 charging times, with a charging volume of 556,500 kilowatt - hours, a year - on - year increase of 14.88% compared with last Spring Festival. The average charging waiting time was shortened to 30 minutes, a year - on - year decrease of 22%.
Relevant personnel from the Electric Power Industry told the reporter from "IT Times" that in the future, high - power super - charging piles for heavy trucks and logistics freight will also be deployed in the Fengjing Service Area to meet the increasing diversified logistics transportation and passenger car travel needs in the Yangtze River Delta region.
Quickly revive "stranded" vehicles
In the Fengjing Service Area, complementing the super - charging station are not only DC fast - charging piles but also flexible and convenient mobile charging stations, which can effectively handle emergencies such as charging peaks during holidays and temporary equipment maintenance.
This is a "smart charging and discharging station" that looks like a large van. It integrates a high - power charging module and an energy storage system. It is also the first mobile charging equipment in Shanghai that integrates multiple functions. It was put into use for the first time during the Spring Festival in 2026 and has become the "secret weapon" for emergency energy replenishment in the Fengjing Service Area.
"We parked it here for emergency support two days before the Spring Festival. It has been on duty throughout the Spring Festival travel season. During the outbound peak, it is placed in the service area on the outbound direction, and during the return peak, it is moved to the service area on the inbound direction to Shanghai, following the traffic flow demand." Master Ding introduced.
Positioned as a "mobile energy hub", the station is equipped with a 120 - kilowatt "one machine, two guns" fast charging and discharging system, supporting bidirectional AC and DC output, and can provide efficient energy replenishment for two new energy vehicles simultaneously. At the same time, the roof is equipped with solar photovoltaic panels, which can supply power to equipment such as interior lighting and the rest room, achieving sustainable energy supply.
If the super - charging station is a fixed main energy - replenishing point, then the mobile charging station is a flexible "emergency replacement". When the super - charging piles and fast - charging piles are all operating at full capacity, the mobile charging station can take over in time. "Especially for anxious owners or those with critically low battery levels, we will give them priority to use the mobile station. The purpose of the mobile station is not to fully charge the vehicle but to 'quickly revive' it. Charging a dozen kilowatt - hours can allow the owner to reach the next fixed energy - replenishing point in the service area and avoid the vehicle 'breaking down' on the highway."
It is worth mentioning that the millisecond - level grid connection and disconnection switching ability of the mobile charging station can ensure continuous and stable power supply. In case of grid fluctuations or sudden power outages, it can instantly switch to the energy - storage power supply mode to ensure uninterrupted charging services. In addition, it also has a V2G mode and can participate in grid peak shaving, sending power back to the grid during peak load periods to help the grid operate smoothly.
During the Spring Festival, a new energy vehicle owner enjoyed the service of the "mobile charging station". During the charging process, he also took a nap in the rest room of the mobile charging station. This mini - rest room is equipped with basic facilities such as a water dispenser and tables and chairs. Although the space is small, it is clean and comfortable.
In addition to providing convenient rest and emergency energy replenishment, this mobile charging station also expands the service scope of highway energy replenishment. In areas where large vehicles cannot enter but there is a charging demand, the mobile charging robot carried on the mobile station can be very useful. It is a mobile charging pile that is all black and about the size of a washing machine. The staff can operate it through a handle to reach places that traditional equipment can hardly cover, such as narrow parking spaces, ramps, and corners of parking lots, to replenish power for vehicles with low battery levels. "Scenes such as concerts, large - scale sports events, and temporary power outages in residential areas are also places where the station can play a big role in providing power support." Relevant personnel from Shanghai Electric Power Industry Co., Ltd. said.
Reporter's observation: From "availability" to "quality"
The efficient operation of the super - charging station and the mobile station in the Fengjing Service Area is a microcosm of the construction of the new energy vehicle charging network across the country. The surging demand for highway charging is also forcing the accelerated implementation of super - charging technology and the continuous improvement of the layout. Data shows that as of the end of 2025, the coverage rate of charging facilities in highway service areas across the country has exceeded 98%.
With the large - scale launch of 800V high - voltage platform models and the large - scale implementation of 600kW - class liquid - cooled super - charging piles in core scenarios such as highways and commercial areas, the collaborative model of super - charging, mobile energy replenishment, and conventional fast - charging is gradually alleviating the energy - replenishment anxiety of vehicle owners.
The charging service has made a leap from "availability" to "quality", but the super - charging industry still faces challenges in terms of technology, operation, and standards. For example, during the super - charging process, the instantaneous load of the local power grid can reach 3 to 5 times the normal peak, which places extremely high requirements on the grid capacity. Therefore, it is necessary to build an energy - storage system to alleviate the grid impact, which significantly increases the transformation cost. In addition, some old - model new energy vehicles on the market cannot enjoy super - charging services because they do not support high - voltage fast - charging, creating a compatibility gap between "new piles and old vehicles".
For new energy vehicle owners, the quality of the energy - replenishment experience directly determines the happiness of long - distance travel. The high - efficiency and convenience of the super - charging station and the emergency support of the mobile station have significantly alleviated travel anxiety. However, their expectations go far beyond this: they hope to be able to replenish energy quickly at highway service areas without long - time waiting, and also hope that old - model vehicles can gradually be compatible with super - charging technology so as not to be excluded from efficient energy - replenishment due to vehicle model issues. They also look forward to having stable and compatible charging facilities whether they are driving on remote roads or in core commercial areas, without having to plan energy - replenishment routes in advance or worry about incompatibility between vehicles and piles or equipment failures.
This demand for "anytime, anywhere, efficient and convenient" energy replenishment is the future development direction of the super - charging industry and the focus of technological iteration and layout improvement.
This article is from the WeChat official account "IT Times" (ID: vittimes). Author: Pan Shaoying, Editor: Pan Shaoying, Sun Yan. Republished by 36Kr with permission.