Methods for fast-charging battery packs having at least one lithium battery cell with an anode, a cathode, and a reference electrode (RE) comprise charging the battery in a first phase by maximizing charging current, subsequently charging the battery in a second phase by decreasing the charging current in response to an anode potential (AP) determined by a RE to maintain the AP at or above an AP threshold, and subsequently charging the battery in a third phase by decreasing the charging current in response to the cathode potential (CP) determined by the RE such that the CP is maximized without exceeding the cathode potential threshold. A controller can determine anode potential or cathode potential in real time using a cell potential signal and a cathode RE signal or an anode RE signal, respectively. The AP threshold is the AP above which substantially no lithium plating occurs.