China highway EV charging up 48% over National Day holiday, ministry data shows
In short
Charging sessions at Chinese highway charging facilities reached 2,968,600 in the first three days of the National Day holiday, a daily average of 989,500 and up 48.41% from a year earlier, while charging volume rose 49.39% to 71.6193 million kWh, according to platform data reported by China News Service. Long queues appeared at several highway service areas, and some imposed a rule requiring vehicles to leave once charging reached 80%. The Ministry of Transport forecast return-trip peaks on Oct 5 from 11:00 to 21:00 and on Oct 6 from 10:00 to 22:00.
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Charging sessions at Chinese highway charging facilities totaled 2.9686 million in the first three days of the National Day holiday, a daily average of 989,500 and an increase of 48.41% from the same period last year, China News Service reported, citing analysis of 62,700 highway charging guns on the national charging facility monitoring service platform. Charging volume from Oct 1 0:00 to Oct 3 24:00 reached 71.6193 million kWh, a daily average of 23.8731 million kWh and up 49.39% year on year, the report said. [ 1 ]
Long queues for new energy vehicle charging appeared at several highway service areas, and some service areas introduced a rule requiring vehicles to leave once charging reached 80%, according to the report. [ 1 ]
Qin Jian, charging service center director at State Grid Smart Internet of Vehicles Technology Co., said electric vehicles mainly use lithium batteries, whose charging has two stages: 0–80% is the high-efficiency fast-charging stage with stable power, after which the battery enters a trickle mode. Charging the remaining 20% takes roughly as long as the first 80% and ties up charger slots, he said. Qin said charging to “80% full” during peak hours is safe and saves time, while drivers can charge fully outside busy periods. [ 1 ]
The Ministry of Transport forecast that highway charging demand would be “dispersed on the outbound trip and concentrated on the return”. Charging stations begin to see a marked increase in vehicles from 10:00 each day and demand falls back after 21:00, it said. Oct 5 and 6 are the core return period, with charging peaks forecast from 11:00 to 21:00 on Oct 5 and from 10:00 to 22:00 on Oct 6. [ 1 ]
Before the holiday, the ministry used past vehicle-network platform data to compile a list of especially busy service areas and added mobile charging equipment and high-power fast chargers there to ease demand, the report said. Drivers can also check real-time charger availability through the “e路畅通” mini program. [ 1 ]
The report listed safety advice as well: use original or national-standard chargers and cables and reputable operators for public chargers, watch the vehicle's condition, avoid charging immediately after long exposure to sun, avoid charging during rain and thunderstorms, and avoid running the air conditioner while charging. Over-charging, over-discharging and insufficient charging can all shorten battery life, it said. [ 1 ]
Xinhua published an article the same day under the title “Does eating to 80% full affect new energy vehicles?”; no article text was available in its feed. [ 2 ]
Why it matters
The figures show how fast holiday highway charging demand is growing, and the 80% departure rules and the ministry's peak forecasts indicate operators are managing queues by limiting time at chargers as well as adding equipment. For drivers, the guidance shapes how return trips are planned; for the charging network, demand concentrated in a two-day window is the main pressure point.
Key facts
- From Oct 1 0:00 to Oct 3 24:00, highway new energy vehicle charging sessions totaled 2.9686 million, a daily average of 989,500 and up 48.41% from the same period last year, based on analysis of 62,700 highway charging guns on the national charging facility monitoring service platform. [ 1 ]
- Charging volume over the same three days reached 71.6193 million kWh, a daily average of 23.8731 million kWh and up 49.39% year on year. [ 1 ]
- Long queues for charging appeared at several highway service areas, and some service areas introduced a rule requiring vehicles to leave once charging reached 80%. [ 1 ]
- Qin Jian, charging service center director at State Grid Smart Internet of Vehicles Technology Co., said 0–80% is a high-efficiency fast-charging stage and charging above 80% switches to a trickle mode, with the remaining 20% taking roughly as long as the first 80%. [ 1 ]
- The Ministry of Transport forecast that highway charging demand would be dispersed on the outbound trip and concentrated on the return, rising notably from 10:00 each day and falling back after 21:00, with peaks on Oct 5 from 11:00 to 21:00 and Oct 6 from 10:00 to 22:00. [ 1 ]
- Before the holiday the ministry compiled a list of especially busy service areas and added mobile charging equipment and high-power fast chargers there. [ 1 ]
- Drivers can check real-time charger availability through the “e路畅通” mini program. [ 1 ]
- The report advised using original or national-standard chargers and cables, avoiding charging immediately after long sun exposure or during thunderstorms, and avoiding air conditioning while charging. [ 1 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Highway charging sessions and charging volume in the first three days of the National Day holiday rose about 48–49% from the same period last year, according to data from the national charging facility monitoring service platform reported by China News Service. [ 1 ]
- The Ministry of Transport forecast return-trip charging peaks on Oct 5 from 11:00 to 21:00 and Oct 6 from 10:00 to 22:00, with daily demand rising from 10:00 and easing after 21:00. [ 1 ]
- Charging above 80% takes roughly as long as charging from 0 to 80% on a lithium battery, according to State Grid Smart Internet of Vehicles Technology Co. official Qin Jian. [ 1 ]
Still unclear
- Which highway service areas introduced the rule requiring vehicles to leave after charging to 80%, and how many service areas are affected. China News Service says only that “some” service areas adopted the rule and does not name them or give a total.
- What Xinhua's article on the same question adds beyond its headline. Document 2 carries only the headline “Does eating to 80% full affect new energy vehicles?” with no article text or feed summary.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- China News Service publishes its report on holiday highway charging data, the 80% departure rules and the Ministry of Transport's return-trip forecast. [ 1 ]
- Under the ministry forecast, highway service area charging stations begin to see a marked increase in vehicles each day. [ 1 ]
- Xinhua publishes an article titled “Does eating to 80% full affect new energy vehicles?” [ 2 ]
- Per the ministry forecast, traffic and charging demand fall back after this time each day. [ 1 ]
- Forecast start of the Oct 5 return-trip charging peak, which runs to 21:00. [ 1 ]