BYD’s Electric Cars Now Charge at Speeds Comparable to Fueling Up
Chinese automaker BYD has announced a new battery technology that promises to revolutionize the electric vehicle (EV) charging experience. The company’s Super E-Platform can charge EVs in a timeframe similar to the time it takes to fill a gasoline vehicle’s tank.
BYD’s new Super E-Platform boasts charging speeds of 1,000kW, which is four times faster than Tesla’s superchargers, which have a 250kW charging rate. This technology allows drivers to add up to 400km (249 miles) of range in just five minutes of charging.
During a livestream event from BYD’s headquarters in Shenzhen, China, the company stated that the mass production of this new technology will “completely solve users’ range anxiety when travelling.” The initial models featuring the ultra-fast charging system will be the BYD Han L and Tang L, available initially only in China.
Demand for EVs in China has risen dramatically in recent years, with more than 20 million EVs already on the road. BYD leads the Chinese market and accounts for approximately one-third of all electric vehicle sales in China. Last year, the company surpassed Tesla to become the world’s largest EV manufacturer, despite its limited market share in Europe and no presence in the US market.
Data shows a decline in the demand for combustion engine vehicles, which is consistent with the global rise in EV sales. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), electric cars accounted for 18% of all new cars sold worldwide in 2023, up from 14% the previous year.
Between 2018 and 2023, sales of combustion engine cars dropped by a quarter, from 83.7 million to 62.8 million. This indicates that global sales of polluting vehicles have possibly already peaked.
BYD’s innovation is expected to further drive demand. However, the flash-charging system requires specialized charging ports to achieve the highest efficiency. During the livestream, BYD founder Wang Chuanfu mentioned that the Han L and Tang L models will likely start at around $40,000.
