Shenzhen is taking measures to enhance the availability of electric vehicle (EV) charging facilities in various locations, including residential communities, industrial and business complexes, public parks, and other public areas, according to a guideline recently released by the Shenzhen Municipal Development and Reform Commission. 

According to the guideline, Shenzhen encourages the construction of parking lots and garages with a minimum of 20% dedicated spaces for charging EVs. For upcoming structures and public parking lots, 100% of the parking spaces must be equipped with charging facilities. Moreover, these spaces must be designed to ensure easy access to electricity supply connections. Newly built parking facilities are obliged to offer charging infrastructure, with each charging pole providing a minimum output power of 7 kilowatts.

A supercharging station near Pingshan Library in Pingshan District. Photos by Cao Zhen

The city also encourages the installation of fast-charging facilities in parking lots located in transportation hubs and parks. Gas stations under construction or in the planning phase are encouraged to be equipped with fast-charging facilities if conditions permit. Shenzhen also aims to establish ultra-fast charging stations to meet EV users’ increasing demand for fast recharging.

If conditions allow, expressway service areas are required to be fully equipped with charging facilities. Future service area parking lots must allocate a minimum of 20% of spaces for charging EVs.

The guideline stipulates that newly built or renovated charging stations and EV battery swapping stations should be registered with relevant authorities and should obtain the necessary approvals for their operations.

In a bid to expedite the adoption of EV charging infrastructure, newly constructed public parking lots that intend to incorporate charging and battery swapping facilities are exempt from obtaining separate construction approvals.

In another development, Shenzhen plans to build 150 public supercharging stations by the end of 2023, with the goal of doubling it to 300 by March 2024, according to the two-year development plan released by the city’s development and reform commission. The planned supercharging stations will be mainly built around high-traffic areas like airports, high-speed rail hubs, municipal parks, and commercial centers to support the growing demand for charging infrastructure.

A new energy vehicle is being charged at a supercharging station in Pingshan District.

Shenzhen boasts ownership of 860,000 new-energy vehicles (NEVs) and had built a total of 44 supercharging stations by September. Another 17 are under construction, according to the city’s development and reform commission. 

Shenzhen Bus Group, operator of the largest new energy bus fleet in the world, has so far built 81 charging stations across the city, offering charging services not only to buses, but also for cabs and other NEVs. It plans to build 100 supercharging stations, where new charging technology allows NEVs to be fully recharged “within a cup of coffee’s time,” in six months.

During the International Digital Energy Expo 2023 in June, Shenzhen displayed its first fully liquid-cooled supercharging demonstration station. Under optimal conditions, the station, developed in partnership with the Shenzhen power supply bureau under China Southern Power Grid and Huawei, can supply enough power in just one second to travel 1 kilometer. This new technology provides a quieter, more stable and safer charging environment compared to traditional air-cooling methods. Furthermore, with fewer parts susceptible to wear, the equipment’s lifespan can be up to 20 years longer.