China’s charging pile industry is transitioning from a scale-expansion phase to a high-quality development phase. In previous years, the industry’s core task was building more piles, but from 2026 onward, the focus will shift to building better piles, using them efficiently, and managing them effectively.
World’s Largest Charging Network Built
As of the end of November 2025, China’s total charging infrastructure reached 19.322 million units, a year-on-year increase of 52%. Public charging facilities numbered 4.863 million units, up 28.1%, with a total rated power of 234 million kilowatts.
As of the end of March 2026, the total number of EV charging infrastructure (guns) reached 21.481 million, a year-on-year increase of 46.9%. China has built the world’s largest EV charging network.
Technology Upgrade Directions
In 2026, charging pile technology upgrades are mainly reflected in three areas: comprehensive popularization of 800V high-voltage fast-charging platforms, enabling 330km range replenishment in 19 minutes; accelerated deployment of liquid-cooled super-charging piles with maximum single-pile power reaching 600kW; and intelligent operations management platforms enabling pile reservation, plug-and-charge, and dynamic pricing.
Industry Challenges
Despite having the world’s largest network, the industry still faces challenges including unclear profit models, high maintenance costs for aging piles, and holiday highway charging congestion. The transition from scale expansion to technology competition requires comprehensive upgrades in technology innovation, operational efficiency, and service experience.
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