By FREDA LEWIS-STEMPEL
BYD will bring its ultra-rapid electric car chargers to Europe, it has confirmed, meaning EV owners will be able to recharge as fast as filling up with petrol.
The Chinese EV giant, which recently dethroned Tesla as the biggest electric car maker in the world, has confirmed it will install a network of ‘flash chargers’ in Europe within the next 12 months.
BYD’s (which stands for Build Your Dreams) executive vice president Stella Li announced the news to journalists in Brussels last week.
The ultra-rapid chargers use a 1,000kW architecture, making them much more powerful than its US rival's Superchargers, which only charge up to 250kW and deliver 172 miles in 15 minutes.
Li claims the flash chargers will allow EV drivers to replenish their batteries in just five minutes with the technology described as a ‘game changer’ that will boost EV confidence and remove range and charge anxiety.
Initially, the devices will be installed at BYD dealerships, though other partnerships and locations are currently under consideration.
BYD's 'Megawatt Flash Chargers' use 1,000-volt architecture enabling recharge times equivalent to refueling a fuel-powered car. The chargers will be rolled out in Europe within the next 12 months
Part of the brand’s Super e-Platform – which includes an overhauled powertrain, an upgraded motor and battery - the ‘flash chargers’ add 1.2 miles of range per second, which gives the five-minute industry-first figure.
The chargers also let cars with older batteries top up 20 to 30 per cent faster than normal.
BYD already sells EVs equipped with batteries that can recharge up to 250 miles (400km) in five minutes.
While the confirmation from Stella Li is good news for European BYD drivers, no extra details have been given as to how the chargers will cater for European EV technology.
There are currently limitations on Europe’s CCS (Combined Charging System) rapid chargers which cap power at 500kW, with many manufacturers limiting EVs to lower charging figures to help long term battery health.
Most European EVs can handle up to 200kW on a 500A charger, with only a few able to handle up to 350kW. BYD’s 1,000kW chargers massively overshoot this.
BYD called the chargers a 'game changer' because they can deliver 1.2 miles of range per second, delivering a recharge in just five minutes, removing range and charging anxiety
In comparison Tesla's famous and much loved Supercharger network can only charge up to 250kW, giving 172 miles in 15 minutes
The expansion of BYD’s charging network into Europe is the latest part of the Shenzhen-based company’s goal to dominate the EV and plug-in hybrid market in Europe.
Li explained that by 2030 BYD wants to be a major player in the European automotive market, with plans to open a production site in Hungary this year, along with a R&D centre and a European headquarters in Budapest.
BYD’s European sales have seen steadily monthly growth of 10 per cent, Li says, with the carmaker aiming to build more production sites on the continent in the future if sales continue to go well.
Li commented: ‘We are going to build in Europe to sell in Europe. We are looking at the long term. We are here to stay.’
BYD currently offers the the Atto 3, the Dolphin and the Seal - which cost £37,705, £26,205 and £45,705 respectively. - in the UK. The £15k Dolphin Surf EV is arriving this year
BYD arrived in 2023 and brought with it three models which undercut European brands by offering high levels of quality, tech, and battery advancements for a more affordable price: the Atto 3, the Dolphin and the Seal which cost £37,705, £26,205 and £45,705 respectively.
The forthcoming Atto 2 compact SUV will arrive later this year and is set to start at £30,000.
BYD has announced its Dolphin Surf city EV will go on sale later this year and offer 'the best value' in its class while costing less than £20,000. This will shake up the cheap EV market.
As of March, there are 60 BYD dealer locations and counting.
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