BEIJING, March 17 – BYD, a leading Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, has unveiled a new platform for its EVs designed to significantly reduce charging times and announced plans to build a comprehensive charging network throughout China. The announcement signals the company’s commitment to address consumer concerns regarding charging speed and availability, key factors in the widespread adoption of electric vehicles.
The so-called “super e-platform,” as revealed by founder Wang Chuanfu during a live-streamed event from the company’s Shenzhen headquarters, boasts peak charging speeds of 1,000 kilowatts (kW). This capability is projected to enable compatible EVs to gain 400 km (249 miles) of range with just a five-minute charge. This charging speed surpasses that of Tesla’s Superchargers, whose latest iteration offers up to 500 kW.
“In order to completely solve our user’s charging anxiety, we have been pursuing a goal to make the charging time of electric vehicles as short as the refueling time of petrol vehicles,” Wang stated, reflecting the company’s ambition to make EV ownership as convenient as possible. He emphasized that the achievement of megawatt-level charging power represents a significant milestone in the industry.
The new charging architecture will initially feature in two upcoming EV models, the Han L sedan and the Tang L SUV, which will be priced starting from 270,000 yuan ($37,328.91). Furthermore, BYD has committed to constructing over 4,000 ultra-fast charging piles across China to match the new platform’s capabilities. No timeframe or investment figures for the charging network were provided.
Currently, BYD vehicle owners largely depend on charging infrastructure belonging to other automakers or public charging stations operated by third-party entities. Tesla has been operating its Supercharger network in China since 2014. Meanwhile, BYD’s domestic competitors such as Nio, Li Auto, Xpeng and Zeekr, have also made significant investments in building out their own charging networks over the years.
BYD, known for its plug-in hybrid vehicles, saw record sales in the previous year of 4.2 million units. The automaker has set an ambitious sales target of 5-6 million units for the current year.
( $1 = 7.2330 Chinese yuan renminbi)
