By 2025, China will have 80 percent coverage of fast-charging stations on its highways, Wang Zhiqing, vice minister of transport, said at the 2021 World New Energy Vehicle Congress (WNEVC) in southern China's Hainan province on Friday.

By 2025, the rate of new energy vehicles for public transport in China should reach 72 percent, he said.

The Ministry of Transport will step up efforts to promote the construction of highway charging service facilities and interconnect parking and charging data, he said.

Notably, the target appears to have been raised from earlier this year.

On May 20, China's National Development and Reform Commission and National Energy Administration announced a draft to promote the construction of charging and battery swap infrastructure.

The draft showed that China strives to reach at least 80 percent coverage of fast-charging stations in highway service areas in key regions for air pollution prevention and at least 60 percent in other areas by 2025.

The draft mentioned that regional charging infrastructure authorities should work with transportation departments to accelerate the development of local highway fast-charging network coverage programs.

NIO says its battery swap network now covers highway service areas from Beijing to major neighboring cities

(Photo source: Nio)