Chery unveils ultra-fast charging battery

Chinese automotive group Chery has revealed a next-generation battery capable of delivering up to 500km of range in eight minutes, as part of an electrification roadmap that also targets driving ranges of more than 1500km.

The technology, known as the Rhino battery, was unveiled at the company’s 2026 Chery Auto Battery Night in Wuhu and is designed to address key barriers to electric vehicle adoption, including charging time, durability and safety.

Chery says the battery is engineered to support up to 5000 charge cycles, positioning it as a long-life solution for both private and fleet applications.

The system incorporates a “three lines of defence” safety approach, combining advanced materials, structural protection and cloud-based monitoring, and has been tested across six extreme scenarios including temperature variation, salt exposure, collisions, underbody impacts and water immersion.

The Rhino platform will underpin multiple powertrain types, including hybrid, battery electric and future solid-state variants, reflecting the company’s multi-pathway approach to electrification.

Chery also confirmed significant investment in solid-state battery development, with a dedicated research team expected to exceed 1200 specialists and backed by more than RMB10 billion (AU$2.1b).

The company says current solid-state prototypes are achieving energy densities of 400 Wh/kg, with a roadmap targeting 600 Wh/kg, enabling potential driving ranges exceeding 1500km.

Chery says it is also using AI-driven development, with more than one million simulation iterations used to optimise battery performance across more than 100 parameters.

The announcement forms part of a broader sustainability strategy, with the company targeting a 60% reduction in per-vehicle emissions by 2030, operational carbon neutrality by 2037, and full value chain neutrality by 2047.

In Australia, Chery and Omoda Jaecoo are expanding their electrified line-up across hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery electric models, with the Jaecoo J5 EV surpassing 2000 orders in its first three months on sale.