Last updated: 25 January 2026
GB/T is the set of electric vehicle charging standards used in China. The abbreviation stands for ‘guóbiāo tuījiàn’ (Chinese: 国标推荐) meaning ‘recommended national standard’. (Click here for the full list of all countries and their respective EV charging connectors)
A Tesla for the Chinese market with a GB/T DC inlet on the left and an GB/T AC charging port on the right.
The Chinese system has two incompatible types of connectors: one for alternating current (AC) and one for direct current (DC). This means that every EV on the Chinese market features two charging ports, whereas electric cars in most of the rest of the world just have a single inlet for both AC and DC charging.
China's GB/T DC is designed specifically for direct current charging, which is faster than alternating current (AC) charging, because direct current can be delivered directly to the battery. AC is used in homes instead of DC, so with AC charging, the car’s onboard charger must first convert AC power to DC.
The GB/T DC connector connectors can carry up to 800 A and 1500 V and it can deliver up to 1200 kW of power output. GB/T DC is the only DC fast charging protocol currently used in China.
For ultra-rapid charging, GB/T DC requires liquid-cooled cables to avoid damage caused by overheating. Inside those cables there are circulation channels containing a liquid coolant that absorbs and dissipates heat. The liquid cooling process involves a closed-loop system in which the coolant travels back and forth between the connector and the cooling unit of the charger.
The connector supports bidirectional charging, allowing EVs to send power back to the home, the grid, appliances or another vehicle, turning the car’s battery into a backup power source.
Inside liquid-cooled cables, circulation channels (highlighted in blue in the image) carry a liquid coolant that absorbs and removes the heat produced by the power conductors (highlighted in red in the image). This liquid-cooling approach relies on a closed-loop system in which the coolant continuously flows between the connector and the charger’s cooling unit.
