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EXPLORE FURTHER: Electric vehicle brakes generate pollutants more harmful than those from diesel exhausts.
Although electric vehicles may attract environmentally aware drivers, the concern over battery depletion before reaching one’s destination deters numerous potential buyers.
However, the Chinese EV manufacturer BYD asserts that their newest models will put an end to ‘range anxiety.’
BYD says its new charging system, dubbed the ‘Super-E Platform’, can enable a car to travel 250 miles (400km) after just five minutes of charging.
This 1,000-kilowatt (kW) charger – double the power of its competitor
Tesla
Supercharger – able to replenish an electric vehicle’s battery in the same duration it takes to refuel a traditional car.
petrol
car with fuel.
Last year, BYD was
the globe’s second biggest producer of battery-operated electric cars
just slightly behind Elon Musk’s Tesla.
This recent advancement might propel the Chinese firm to the leading spot by attracting purchasers who are hesitant to abandon their traditional gasoline vehicles.
The BYD founder, Wang Chuanfu—who is frequently referred to as
China
‘s
Elon Musk
mentioned during a launch event in Shenzhen, China, that the brand’s upcoming vehicles would reach ‘fuel-parity’ when it comes to refueling.
Mr Wang added: ‘In order to completely solve our users’ charging anxiety, we have been pursuing a goal to make the charging time of electric vehicles as short as the refuelling time of petrol vehicles.’
BYD states that the newly introduced ultra-fast charging tech will first be featured in two models released this year: the Han L sedan and the Tang L SUV.
The Han L sedan and the Tang L SUV both have slightly lower starting prices.
the typical cost of an electric vehicle in the UK
ranging from 270,000 to 350,000 yuan ($37,300-$48,350 or £28,700-£37,300).
The firm asserts that this car model’s innovative battery design enables drivers to gain approximately 1.20 miles (2 kilometers) of additional range per second when charged at maximum capacity.
officially has a rating of ’10C,’ indicating that these vehicles can achieve a full charge in just one-tenth of an hour, which equates to six minutes.
Rapid charging necessitates the transfer of substantial electrical power, implying the generation of both a high voltage and a significant current concurrently.
One of the primary obstacles to boosting charging efficiency is the substantial amount of heat generated by high currents, posing risks when accumulated within a sizable battery.
To address this issue, BYD claims it has succeeded in decreasing the internal resistance of the battery, which implies that the battery generates less heat as current flows through it.
Moreover, the firm claims it has developed new silicon carbide power chips capable of handling increased voltage levels.
In a post on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, translated via Google Translate, the company says: ‘BYD officially releases flash charging battery with ultra-high voltage of 1000V, ultra-large current of 1000A and ultra-large power of 1000kW.’
At the launch event, Mr. Wang stated, “For the first time in our sector, we have reached the milestone of megawatts in terms of charging power.”
This power level increases the capacity of most charging systems found in the UK and the US by two or three times.
Tesla’s most recent batch of Superchargers can achieve up to 500 kW, whereas the majority of the older models do not have this capability.
peak at somewhere from 250 to 400 kW.
A majority of Tesla’s Superchargers in the United Kingdom can supply sufficient power for driving up to 172 miles (277 kilometers) following just 15 minutes of charging.
According to BYD, they intend to set up a network of 4,000 fast-charging stations throughout China.
Stronger charging stations need direct connection to the power grid along with specialized cooling systems to avoid overheating.
This indicates that the new flash-charging system might necessitate building further infrastructure, such as constructing extra substations and transformers.
Nonetheless, BYD has not offered any details regarding the timeline for building these stations or how they intend to fund their construction.
Similarly, BYD states that the technology will initially be accessible solely within China, and they have not verified if they intend to deploy flash chargers in other locations.
Faster charging and better range have been seen by many industry analysts as the key to switching from cars with internal combustion engines, which emit pollutants.
According to a 2024 survey conducted by management consultancy firm McKinsey & Company, 40 percent of potential electric vehicle (EV) purchasers aimed for over 400 miles of range on a single battery charge—approximately equivalent to the typical distance a gasoline-powered car can cover with one full tank.
Similarly, 42 percent of participants indicated that charging speed is their primary concern.
Out of these individuals, 60 percent expressed their preference for charging times of 30 minutes or shorter.
BYD’s advancement has been met with approval from global markets and could potentially assist them in surpassing their competitor Tesla over an extended period.
Following the announcement, BYD’s shares surged to an all-time peak, rising by 4.1 percent on Tuesday to reach a value of HK$408.80 ($52.59) on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
Meanwhile,
On Tuesday, Tesla’s stock value fell by 5.5 percent.
, adding another 4.8 percent drop from Monday.
Overall, Tesla’s valuation dropped by 44 percent throughout 2025 due to investor concerns about CEO Elon Musk’s prominent association with Donald Trump.
Since Trump’s election,
The automotive company has experienced over $800 billion (£617bn) erased from its stock market value.
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