Chinese drivers lose their range anxiety over holiday road trips

Li Dongsheng, a new energy vehicle (NEV) owner, previously faced range anxiety on a 1,000-kilometer road trip from Southwest to North China. This year’s May Day holiday proved different: at Shaanxi’s Fuping service area, his vehicle gained 400 km of range with just a 10-minute charge, eliminating concerns about long-distance travel. The shift reflects broader progress in China’s NEV sector, where battery improvements and a rapidly expanding charging network have made cross-provincial trips feasible. Liu Yongdong, deputy secretary-general of the China Electricity Council, noted that NEVs are no longer limited to short commutes, with owners increasingly using them for holidays and family visits. Data from the National Energy Administration showed a 55.6% year-on-year surge in highway NEV charging volume on the holiday’s first day, setting a new record. Fuping, a key transport hub, now has 28 charging piles and two battery-swap stations, with six technicians on 24-hour standby to assist drivers. Gao Lipeng, the service area manager, highlighted real-time digital tracking of charging spots, comparing the convenience to refueling a gas car. Technological advancements are driving this change. BYD, a Chinese NEV leader, introduced a battery and charging system allowing 10% to 70% charge in five minutes and 97% in nine minutes under normal conditions. Over five years, the average range of Chinese electric passenger vehicles has risen to nearly 500 km, while charging speeds have tripled, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. China’s charging infrastructure now exceeds 21 million piles, with full township coverage in 19 provinces. Shanghai’s Fengjing service area, a charging hotspot, enables 200 km of range in five minutes, supported by mobile charging piles and emergency vehicles. Over the holiday’s first two days, Shanghai’s expressway NEV charging volume hit 167,500 kilowatt-hours, a 25.82% year-on-year increase. The push extends beyond passenger vehicles to heavy-duty logistics. Xin’an township in Hunan province features a dedicated truck charging station, addressing peak-period concerns like long queues. Zhai Bo, a truck driver, noted that on-site inspections and infrastructure upgrades now provide reliable service, making NEV travel a standard experience for millions of drivers.