BEIJING -- Almost all the service areas along the expressways in China have been equipped with charging facilities for new energy vehicles (NEVs), according to the Ministry of Transport.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Gao Bo, deputy director general of the ministry's Transport Service Department, said that inadequate charging piles have emerged as a challenge brought by the rapid growth of NEVs, while China is actively addressing the challenge.
The ministry, along with relevant departments, is continuously optimizing and enhancing charging services to better ensure convenient and green travel for the public, he said.
By the end of November 2024, a total of 33,100 charging piles and 49,300 charging parking spaces had been built at expressway service areas across the country, with an increase of 12,100 charging piles and 16,600 charging parking spaces compared to the end of 2023.
The proportion of expressway service areas with charging facilities has risen from 85 percent at the end of 2023 to 97 percent, achieving nearly full coverage except for some high-altitude service areas.
"Highway service areas nationwide widely use 120kW or higher fast-charging facilities. In the provinces of Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Guangdong, charging stations with 600-800kW ultra-fast chargers have been built," said Gao.
In response to service areas with tight charging services, mobile charging units have been added to provide flexible charging services.
The ministry is also strengthening the sharing and integration of charging resources with urban areas, guiding vehicles at busy service areas to nearby expressway entrance and exit charging zones or idle nearby service areas, alleviating congestion and reducing waiting time.