Orange Charging Unveils 1,600kW EV Charger: Adds 100km in 60 Seconds, Sparks Race Toward Megawatt Charging

The global race to slash EV charging times has a new leader. Orange Charging, a Didi-affiliated company, has unveiled an ultra-powerful 1,600 kW liquid-cooled fast charger — capable of adding 100 km of range in just 60 seconds.

Developed in collaboration with an unnamed manufacturing partner, this next-gen charger signals a new chapter in megawatt flash charging. Orange’s proprietary Unicorn OS intelligent system enables dynamic power distribution, ensuring optimized charging across multiple EVs based on their capabilities.

Orange Charging already operates 46,000+ charging stations, with nearly half supporting 180 kW or higher outputs. The 1.6 MW charger is a radical leap forward — positioning the company alongside Chinese tech giants like BYD, Zeekr, Huawei, and CATL, all racing to redefine EV charging standards.

BYD has revealed a 1,000 kW charger.

Huawei is eyeing 1.5 MW charging for heavy-duty vehicles.

Zeekr is already deploying 1.2 MW V4 stations.

CATL is innovating batteries to endure such intense power loads.

But the path forward isn’t without hurdles. Each 1.6 MW charger consumes power equivalent to a small neighborhood, presenting serious grid strain challenges. Solutions like off-peak energy storage systems are already being integrated to buffer demand spikes.

Then there’s the cost: each liquid-cooled megawatt charger costs between RMB 80,000–120,000 (€9,600–€14,300), excluding grid upgrades, maintenance, and coolant replacement.

Lastly, frequent exposure to ultra-fast charging raises questions about long-term battery health. Battery management systems and AI-driven charging curves aim to reduce degradation, but the impact of daily "one-minute charging" remains uncertain.

Still, the future is charging fast — and Orange Charging is putting the pedal to the megawatt metal.