Upgraded intelligent charging facilities, especially mobile charging equipment, at highway service areas across China have ensured a smooth travel experience for new energy vehicle (NEV) owners during the Spring Festival travel rush which lasts from Feb 2 to March 13 this year.
The Spring Festival, also known as the Chinese New Year, falls on Feb 17 this year. For decades, going home and spending time with family has been the festival's defining theme, fueling a 40-day travel rush that sees hundreds of millions of out-of-town workers hitting roads, railways and runways. Authorities expect a record 9.5 billion inter-regional trips this year.
During this year's Spring Festival travel rush, the daily average traffic volume of NEVs on the national expressway network is expected to reach 9.5 million units, according to data from the Ministry of Transport.
At Pinghu Service Area along the expressway linking Hangzhou and Shanghai, the use of a wheeled charging platform has significantly improved charging efficiency during the travel rush.
"In the past, my biggest worry was the long queues at charging stations during the Spring Festival travel rush, which sometimes took one to two hours. But today, as soon as I parked my car, I simply scanned the code, and a staff member remotely controlled a charging robot to come over. I just plugged in the cable and charged, as convenient as ordering takeout," said a passenger car driver.
The seamless service was supported by the smart charging management platform jointly developed by local transportation, emergency response, and power supply departments, which can monitor the operating status of charging piles, predict peak hours, and dynamically dispatch mobile charging equipment
Since the introduction of mobile charging facilities, the number of vehicle charging daily at Pinghu Service Area has increased from over 180 to over 220, and is expected to exceed 400 per day during the Spring Festival travel season.
Similar equipment was also applied in Xiamen's highway service areas and around popular tourist attractions, with each unit serving as a small mobile charging station equipped with a large-capacity battery and a fast-charging interface.
"Now we can see the status of charging stations on this application. For example, if there is heavy traffic or a sudden surge in electricity demand in a service area, we can dispatch the nearest mobile charging vehicle to provide support as soon as possible, and it can arrive at the designated location in as little as half an hour," said service area staff member Chen Jiapeng.
Intelligent chargers ease Spring Festival rush for NEV owners
A member of the Political Bureau of Ansar Allah (the Houthi military group) on Thursday warned of an escalation in conflicts in the Middle East as Israel continued to carry out deadly strikes in Lebanon.
Talking to China Global Television Network (CGTN), Houthi political bureau member Ali Al-Dailami emphasized the group's support for other members of the Iran-led "Axis of Resistance," a regional coalition committed to countering Israel and includes militant groups like Hezbollah and Hamas.
"Coordination within the 'Axis of Resistance' is ongoing, especially since we are talking about American and Zionist hegemony, and this axis is based on resisting imperialism and resisting the Zionist occupation, so it continues. This coordination has already appeared in many moves, most recently what was announced by the military spokesperson Yahya Saree regarding joint operations between Iran, Hezbollah, and Yemen," said Al-Dailami.
"We are with the Islamic Republic of Iran, we are with the resistance, we are with Lebanon, we are with Palestine. This is a principled stance we cannot waver from, and it is also considered a red line. And this red line -- whoever tries to cross it, we will certainly confirm the other direction, which is the direction of the resistance: with Lebanon, with Palestine, with the Islamic Republic of Iran, with Iraq, and with all who resist American imperialism and Zionist occupation," said the official.
His remarks echoed the statement by Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, who said on Thursday that military operations would escalate in the coming period, warning of potential "surprise actions" in line with developments on the ground.
In a televised speech broadcast by the Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV, al-Houthi indicated that the group's campaign would enter a new phase marked by intensified activity and evolving tactics.
The Houthi leader highlighted his group's military role within what he described as coordinated regional efforts, stating that the Yemeni front had contributed to "joint operations with the Axis of Resistance," including missile and drone strikes targeting Israel.
A two-week ceasefire was announced early Wednesday by the United States and Iran. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would comply with the truce but would continue military operations in Lebanon.
Prior to the ceasefire, the Houthis had launched missile and drone attacks against Israel starting on March 28 -- one month after the United States and Israel launched the current massive attacks on Iran -- in what they described as support for allied forces in Iran, Iraq, Lebanon and Palestine.
The group, which has controlled Sanaa and much of northern Yemen since late 2014, previously supported Iran during last year's 12-day conflict with the United States and Israel.
Houthi official warns of military escalation amid regional tensions
