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Chinese manufacturer BYD has created a charging system that works twice as fast as Tesla’s best offerings, fundamentally changing what consumers can expect from electric vehicles.
This innovation challenges Tesla’s reign as the premier electric vehicle (EV) fast-charging provider.
The breakthrough technology adds 400 kilometers (249 miles) of driving range in just five minutes. That’s roughly the time it takes to fill a gas tank.
“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,” said BYD founder Wang Chuanfu during the March 17 system launch from the company’s Shenzhen headquarters.
BYD’s “Super e-Platform” puts out 1,000 kilowatts of charging power. This means adding 80 kilometers of range every minute – four times faster than Tesla’s 18 kilometers per minute.
The technology works through several advancements working together: higher-voltage architecture, specialized power chips, liquid cooling, and redesigned batteries with less internal resistance. BYD paired these improvements with a 30,000 RPM motor to maximize efficiency.
BYD hasn’t said how well these charging speeds hold up in different weather or with older batteries. Professor Ouyang Minggao from Tsinghua University warned in a 2024 paper that very fast charging can cause “severe overheating.”
What makes this development particularly significant is BYD’s commitment to infrastructure. The company plans to build over 4,000 charging stations across China, creating an entire ecosystem around the technology. But the company hasn’t shared when all stations will be built or how much they’ll cost.
BYD has solved potential power grid problems by adding energy storage units to each charging station. These act as buffers so the stations don’t overload the electrical grid.
Upgrading to this high-voltage system isn’t cheap. Guotai Junan Securities says going from 400-volt to 800-volt systems adds about 4,000 yuan ($550) per car. BYD’s 1,000-volt system probably costs even more.
Consumers can experience fast-charging first through two new models: the Han L sedan and Tang L SUV. They start at 270,000 yuan ($37,330) and will be available in April 2025.
This comes at a bad time for Tesla. Their China deliveries fell 49% compared to last year’s February. Tesla’s stock has dropped 44% in 2025 as investors worry about falling sales and Elon Musk’s political activities.
Meanwhile, BYD sold 4.3 million “new energy vehicles” in 2024, establishing itself as a dominant force in the world’s largest auto market.
For everyday drivers, the development removes one of the final psychological barriers to EV adoption. When EVs can charge almost as quickly as filling up with gas, the convenience argument against them mostly disappears.
BYD’s stock reached record highs following the announcement as investors recognized the potential market-shifting implications of technology that fundamentally changes the EV charging experience.
