- BYD has tested a new 1,500 kW flash charging network in China
- Charging times of under five minutes are possible
- Prices on BYD’s website are surprisingly cheap
Images have emerged from Shenzhen, China, where BYD is busy testing its megawatt EV charging infrastructure with select owners.
Capable of delivering 1,500 kW to compatible electric vehicles, the ‘Flash Charging’ network is more than three times faster than some of the most potent fast and ultra-fast charging sites available in North America, Europe and beyond. It’s reportedly possible to add 249 miles of range in just five minutes.
Car News China revealed photos of the test hub in use. Only BYD cars currently use the innovative liquid-cooled charging guns and T-shaped portals that allow multiple owners to pull up at once, charge quickly and move on without the need to park up for extended periods.
In fact, BYD’s hub looks more like a traditional petrol or service station, which makes sense given that the 1,500kW outlets have already been touted to play well with the next generation of BYD’s range-topping Han, Tang and other flagship models – all capable of adding nearly 250 miles of range in under five minutes.
According to Car News China, the test hub is open to any domestic BYD vehicle that carries a Flash Charge badge, which also includes a range of Denza models. Users simply roll up, plug in, and either the vehicle’s infotainment system or a dedicated Android Flash Charging app handles the payment procedure.
What’s more, the prices on the demo page were allegedly shown as 1.3 yuan per kWh, or about $0.18 / £0.14 / AU$0.27.
This equates to around a $15 / £12 / AU$23 charging session – a real bargain, considering fast charging in the UK can easily cost more than £70 when larger batteries are topped up.
Car News China claims that previous reporting indicates that BYD may target over 4,000 self-service flash charging stations in China, with wider cooperation networks potentially exceeding 15,000 locations in the country in the coming years.
Tesla gets in on the megawatt action
News also broke this week that Tesla has listed 64 new US ‘Megacharger’ locations to support its growing fleet of all-electric semi-trucks.
Capable of delivering over 1.2 megawatts of power, these specific plugs can charge a semi-truck to 60% in about 30 minutes, with the proposed location of the chargers creating usable corridors for electrified heavy goods vehicles to efficiently run coast-to-coast.
However, Tesla has been relatively slow to catch up when it comes to consumer EV technology, as V4 Superchargers reportedly installed in China are already capable of supporting up to 500kW of peak power for passenger cars.
If the leaked charging statistics from BYD’s latest Flash Charging hubs are correct, that already puts the company two or three times faster than Tesla’s cutting-edge charging technology.
Furthermore, Tesla’s flawed Cybertruck is currently the only vehicle in the range capable of charging at rates anywhere near the proposed 500 kW output.
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