Reporting from China, EV Powerhouse of the World – Felix Hamer from Electric Felix

When Felix Hamer visited China earlier this year, he expected impressive EV infrastructure. What he found exceeded expectations. “It was absolutely mind-blowing,” he said during his presentation during the online conference electrive LIVE. “You see chargers everywhere—at airports, shopping malls, even tucked into backstreets.”

Hamer, known for his work at electricfelix.com, travelled through cities like Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Shanghai, where ultra-rapid chargers rated at 600+ kilowatts are already common. “OEMs operate their own charging networks and offer pricing that makes fast charging affordable to everyone,” he noted, citing rates as low as 10 to 15 euro cents per kilowatt-hour.

Battery swapping is also advancing rapidly, particularly through NIO’s network. “In Shenzhen alone, NIO has 60 swap stations—matching its entire European footprint,” said Hamer. “Many drivers are choosing swapping simply because they don’t want to deal with charging.”

In contrast to Europe’s often meticulous regulation and slow deployment, Hamer described China’s pace as chaotic but effective. “It’s not always clear which charger is the cheapest or fastest—but they’re there, and they work. You don’t see signs, people rely entirely on digital navigation.”

He observed that regulation plays a crucial role in uptake. “In high-density cities, green licence plates dominate. Petrol vehicles are restricted, which accelerates EV adoption,” he said.

Hamer’s takeaway? “In China, the OEMs are leading the charge—literally. In Europe, we keep asking why OEMs don’t take charging seriously. Over there, they’ve already answered.”