Is this the electric car battery breakthrough we've been waiting for? Game changing technology debuts in little known Chinese brand's new EV and it's coming to Australia to battle the Tesla Model Y, BYD Seal and Kia EV6

Electric cars are evolving at an astounding pace thanks to new and improved batteries that are removing some of the biggest hurdles to mass EV adoption.

Little known Chinese brand Zeekr, which is part of the giant Geely Group that owns brands such as Polestar and Volvo, is getting in on the act and has debuted a groundbreaking new battery that slashes charging times.

Dubbed the Golden Brick battery, the lithium-iron phosphate battery (LFP) is now in its second generation and is claimed to be the fastest charging electric car battery in the world.

Zeekr claims it is capable of 5.5C charging. A 'C' rating is the speed a battery can charge: 1C means it can take one hour to replenish to full and a 2C rating takes 30 minutes and a 5C takes 12 minutes.

Zeekr claims its new 5.5C rated battery can top up its battery from 10 to 80 per cent in 10.5 minutes using a suitable powerful fast-charger.

The Chinese brand announced some wild testing methods for the first generation of the Golden Brick battery. They claimed to have tossed the cells into a 1000 degrees celsius fire and then placed them back into the car to prove their safety.

This breakthrough battery will be fitted to the coming Zeekr 7X performance SUV, which is locked in for Australia.

Zeekr 7X

That model uses two electric motors to pump out 475kW and its hi-tech battery is expected to deliver a driving range of about 600km.

The Chinese brand is claiming the 7X can add 500km of range in record time.

Zeekr isn’t the only company preparing to add ultra-fast charging batteries to its vehicles.

Sister brand Polestar recently showcased similar batteries in a Polestar 5 prototype. These batteries were developed by Israeli company, StoreDot, which specialises in lithium-ion batteries.

In a world first demonstration, a Polestar 5 prototype vehicle fitted with the company’s battery was able to recharge from 10 to 80 per cent in 10 minutes, or the equivalent of 320km of driving range.

Polestar 5 prototype

StoreDot said its battery held a rate of charge of more than 310kW the entire sessions before peaking at 370kW at 80 per cent.

StoreDot said its silicone dominant battery cells don’t require special cooling functions and their structure provides improved cooling ability.

The Chinese companies aren’t the only ones close to installing battery breakthroughs in their cars, though.

Big name brands such as Toyota and Nissan are working on solid state batteries.

Zeekr 7X

These cells are smaller, lighter, more energy dense, faster charging and less fire prone that current lithium-ion batteries.

Toyota is targeting 2027 and Nissan 2028 to have these batteries fitted to production cars.

These batteries are likely to be the catalyst for an electric off-road 4WD, ute and next-generation GT-R supercar.