The early days of China’s National Day holiday saw a significant surge in electric vehicle (EV) charging activity across the nation’s expressways. From October 1st at midnight to October 2nd at midnight, a total of 2.06 million charging sessions were recorded, with a cumulative charging volume exceeding 50.1 million kilowatt-hours. This represents a remarkable year-on-year increase of 51.34%.
Record Charging Demand
The charging data reveals an extraordinary demand on October 1st, with the charging volume being 3.24 times higher than a typical day. This high demand continued into October 2nd, where charging volume remained elevated at 2.55 times the usual daily amount. This trend underscores the growing reliance on EVs for holiday travel and the robust infrastructure supporting it.
Identifying Peak Charging Hotspots
According to the Ministry of Transport’s dynamic assessment, October 3rd was anticipated to see particularly busy charging conditions at 48 service areas nationwide. The hotspots were predominantly located in provinces such as Shanxi, Hebei, and Shandong. To assist travelers, a public WeChat mini-program called ‘e Road Smooth’ (e路畅通) was made available, allowing drivers to check the operational status of charging stations in service areas and plan their journeys accordingly.
Areas of High Charging Activity
The Ministry of Transport identified several service areas that were expected to experience high charging demand on October 3rd. These include:
- Shanxi Province: Baodian Service Area (G22), Licheng Service Area (S45), Erdaoliang Parking Area (G18), Dazhai Service Area (S45), Xujiazhuang Parking Area (G3511), Wuzhai Service Area (G59), Chenjiazhuang Parking Area (S45), Fenxi Parking Area (G2211), Wucheng Service Area (G20), Lixi West Service Area (G59), Lanxian Service Area (S50), and Jiaokou Service Area (S66).
- Hebei Province: Leting Service Area (G0111), Tanghai Service Area (G0111), Tangshan Service Area (S0105), Changli Service Area (G0111), Funing Service Area (G0111), Dongguang Service Area (G3), and Langfang Service Area (G95).
- Shandong Province: Haiqing Service Area (G15), Penglai Service Area (G18), Laizhou Service Area (G18), Zhaoyuan Service Area (G18), Jinxiang Service Area (S38), and Wendeng Service Area (G1813).
- Henan Province: Ruzhou Service Area North Area (G36), Pingdingshan West Service Area North Area (G36), Luohe Service Area East Area (G4), Luohe Service Area West Area (G4), Wangwushan Service Area South Area (G3511), and Wangwushan Service Area North Area (G3511).
- Hunan Province: Yanling Service Area (G0422), Jiugongqiao Parking Area (G55), and Ningyuan North Parking Area (G55), Jiuyishan Service Area (G55).
- Anhui Province: Yuhui Service Area (G3), Xiuning Service Area (G3), and Mingguang Service Area (G36).
- Guangxi Province: Bajiaozhai Service Area (G59), Heping Service Area (G6517), and Panwang Service Area (G6517).
- Guangdong Province: Shuibian Service Area (S1), and Lixi North Parking Area (S1).
- Shaanxi Province: Chengcheng Service Area (G5).
- Sichuan Province: Xin’an Service Area (G5).
- Hubei Province: Baihe Service Area (G42).
- Ningxia Province: Ma’erzhuang Service Area North Area (G2012).
- Gansu Province: Yongchang Service Area (G30).
The Ministry of Transport’s proactive monitoring and public information dissemination through the ‘e Road Smooth’ mini-program aim to mitigate congestion and ensure a smoother travel experience for the increasing number of EV users during peak holiday periods.
