China's electric vehicle industry posted record sales in 2025, but the road ahead is lined with technical hurdles in batteries, charging, and intelligent connectivity, according to Wang Fang, chief scientist at the China Automotive Technology and Research Center (CATARC). Speaking at the 22nd Tai Da Auto Forum, Wang said the industry is transitioning from policy-driven growth to a phase where market forces and technology are the primary drivers.
Global NEV sales reached 20.7 million units in 2025, with China accounting for 13.36 million. Domestic NEV penetration surpassed 50%, and L2-level assisted driving is now in over 70% of passenger cars. Chinese brands hold more than 70% of the domestic NEV market, extending their lead as the world's top NEV seller for 11 consecutive years, according to PCauto.
Solid-state batteries and fast charging remain challenges
Wang highlighted that while the industry has built a complete supply chain and policy framework, core technologies still lag. In batteries, research focuses on thermal safety, fast charging, and solid-state technology. Solid-state batteries, which use solid electrolytes instead of liquid, face significant engineering obstacles, including electrode-electrolyte matching and interface stability. The gap between lab results and vehicle-scale production remains wide, Wang said.
Fast charging is another bottleneck. While several models now achieve peak charging power of 300-500 kW, the experience depends on the entire system—vehicle, charger, and grid. Wang noted that safety risks increase as batteries age, and the new GB 38031 standard (2025 version) adds full-lifecycle fast-charging safety requirements. The industry plans to use AI for dynamic fast-charging management to maintain safety throughout the battery's life.
China has built the world's largest charging network, with over 23 million charging piles as of June 2025. High-voltage platforms (750V and above) are becoming more common, and high-power chargers (250kW+) and high-current single guns (300A+) are spreading. But Wang stressed that peak power figures shown at launches are not enough—vehicle, charger, and station technologies must evolve together.
Chips and intelligent connectivity are next frontiers
Intelligent connectivity—spanning autonomous driving, smart cockpits, chassis-by-wire, and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication—is advancing, but it brings new safety risks. Higher automation levels increase functional safety, cybersecurity, and data security challenges. Wang also pointed to automotive-grade chips as a critical shortfall, as they must meet higher performance and reliability demands for fast-charging thermal management, high-level ADAS, and new electronic architectures.
Wang called for cross-industry collaboration to tackle these common technical problems, leveraging China's large market and complete supply chain. The country has 161 national standards for NEVs and 86 for intelligent connected vehicles, and it is actively contributing to global rule-making. However, she warned that "parameter wars" will fade, and the industry's long-term success depends on conquering these hard technical bottlenecks.
