New Record for NEV Charging Volume on First Day of May Day Holiday

The first day of the May Day holiday has witnessed a new record for new energy vehicles (NEVs) in China, with the charging volume on highways hitting an all-time high for the same period, reflecting the increasing integration of NEVs into people’s daily travel.

Data recently released by the National Energy Administration shows that based on statistical analysis of 57,600 highway charging facilities (piles) included in the national charging facility monitoring service platform, the NEV charging volume on highways reached 23.0339 million kWh on the first day of the holiday, a year-on-year increase of 55.6%. The number of charging services exceeded 946,300, setting a new record for the charging volume on the first day of the May Day holiday.

NEV travel has now become an integral part of public life. Xinhua News Agency reported that the Ministry of Transport predicts that during the May Day holiday, the average daily number of NEVs on national highways will be about 15.4 million, accounting for 24% of the total and representing a year-on-year increase of 33%.

A well-improved charging infrastructure network has provided solid support for NEV travel during the holiday. As of now, the total number of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in China has exceeded 21 million, with 19 provinces achieving full coverage of charging facilities in every town. The ever-densifying network has helped drivers get rid of “range anxiety”.

Various regions are accelerating the layout of high-power charging facilities. CCTV News noted that Suqian in Jiangsu Province has built 98 fast-charging piles in 8 highway service areas, realizing full coverage of fast charging in highway service areas. State Grid Shandong Electric Power Company has deployed mobile emergency charging cabins in 9 popular charging stations, including the Jinan Service Area Charging Station on the Beijing-Taipei Expressway. Meanwhile, the Siguniang Mountain Scenic Area in Sichuan has introduced all-liquid-cooled ultra-fast charging technology with a maximum output power of 600 kilowatts.

The National Energy Administration has guided local authorities to upgrade existing old charging facilities, add temporary charging equipment, dispatch more guiding and on-duty personnel, and conduct pre-holiday equipment maintenance. It also uses information platforms to strengthen monitoring, ensuring the orderly, safe, reliable and standardized operation of charging services during the May Day holiday.

Looking ahead, the National Energy Administration will work with relevant parties to continue promoting the upgrading and renovation of highway charging facilities, providing more convenient and high-quality energy supplement support for people’s holiday travel. Economic Reference News reported that it will further promote the expansion and quality improvement of charging facilities around application scenarios such as heavy-duty truck charging, supporting the green and low-carbon transformation of transportation energy.

With the continuous maturity of NEV technology and the improvement of charging infrastructure, NEVs are moving beyond the label of “short-distance travel tools”, and more drivers are choosing NEVs for inter-provincial trips and family visits. This trend is expected to drive sustained growth in charging demand and promote the high-quality development of China’s NEV industry.