China's Infrastructure Upgrades and Faster Charging Ensure Smooth New Energy Vehicle Travel During 2026 Spring Festival Rush

Chinese authorities project that total new energy vehicle trips during the 2026 Spring Festival travel rush will reach 380,000,000, the highest level for the same period in history. Power supply companies and transportation departments nationwide have implemented infrastructure upgrades, intelligent operation systems, and service enhancements to guarantee efficient charging support.

Expanded Charging Infrastructure

Power authorities expanded high speed highway charging capacity to ensure reliable, convenient, and efficient service.

In Shandong Province, highway service areas now provide more than 3,800 charging parking spaces, representing an increase of more than 30 percent compared with the previous Spring Festival period.

State Grid Jiangsu Electric Power Company increased the number of charging piles at highway service areas across Jiangsu Province to more than 3,500 units, a year on year increase of 70 percent. Approximately 80 mobile charging terminals were deployed along busy expressways including the Shanghai Nanjing Expressway, Beijing Shanghai Expressway, and Shenyang Haikou Expressway to strengthen emergency response capacity.

Faster Charging Performance

Significant improvements in charging speed marked this year’s travel season.

At the S33 Jixu Expressway Yutai Service Area in the direction of Xuzhou, a vehicle owner from Xuzhou reported that charging from 30 percent to 80 percent required only 12 minutes.

According to Li Haiyang, Director of the Marketing Department at State Grid Yutai County Power Supply Company, the service area completed a capacity expansion and installed four new 480 kilowatt charging units, increasing charging service capability by 300 percent. A dual power supply model using two 10 kilovolt dedicated lines operating as mutual backups ensures stable operation even under extreme weather conditions.

At the G1523 Yongguan Expressway Yueqing Service Area, newly installed charging piles allow vehicles to recharge in just over 20 minutes. During the Spring Festival travel period, the service area handles an average of more than 800 new energy vehicles per day, an increase of more than 70 percent year on year.

State Grid Wenzhou Power Supply Company upgraded facilities before the holiday by installing high power charging piles. Power supply capacity increased fivefold, charging efficiency improved by 30 percent, and average waiting time decreased from 1.5 hours to under 20 minutes.

Intelligent Operations and Emergency Support

In Nantong, Jiangsu Province, charging demand at major expressways such as the Shenyang Haikou Expressway and Shanghai Shaanxi Expressway remains consistently high.

State Grid Nantong Power Supply Company uses an intelligent vehicle networking platform to monitor charging pile operations in real time and automatically issue fault alerts. At high demand locations such as the Qilin Service Area on the Shanghai Shaanxi Expressway, a tailored “one area, one strategy” approach was implemented. Internal underpasses within service areas were opened to enable bidirectional access to charging resources, allowing vehicles to recharge on the opposite side and improving overall utilization efficiency.

In Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, the charging station at the Cixi Service Area on the G15 Shenyang Haikou Expressway completed a comprehensive upgrade with optimized configuration and improved efficiency. During the Spring Festival period, staff remain on duty 24 hours per day, adopting a combined routine inspection and peak time monitoring model to ensure stable equipment operation.

Refined Services Enhance User Experience

In Gongyi, Henan Province, a key transportation hub in central China, State Grid Gongyi Power Supply Company intensified inspection efforts. Communist Party member service teams conducted comprehensive checks of charging facilities at highway service areas and tourist sites to ensure operational reliability.

For users unfamiliar with smart charging systems, staff provided one on one guidance, assisting with use of the State Grid online application to check charging pile availability and complete payment settlement. Charging stations were equipped with hot water and first aid kits, extending service coverage to the final segment of travelers’ journeys.

State Grid Tai’an Power Supply Company launched a special Spring Festival power supply assurance campaign. Personnel conducted comprehensive inspections of charging connectors, cables, and cooling systems at 287 charging stations in Tai’an, Shandong Province. Staff were stationed at highway service areas to guide short duration charging and nearby vehicle diversion, ensuring stable charging support for new energy vehicles throughout the travel peak.

Source: Xinhua News Agency