- BYD has been testing a new 1,500kW flash charging network in China
- Charging times of less than five minutes are possible
- The price on BYD’s site is surprisingly cheap
Images have emerged from Shenzhen, China, where BYD is busy testing its megawatt electric vehicle charging infrastructure with select owners.
The Flash Charging network, which is capable of delivering 1,500 kW to compatible electric vehicles, is more than three times faster than some of the most powerful fast and ultra-fast charging outlets found in North America, Europe and beyond. It is reportedly possible to add 249 miles of range in just five minutes.
Car News China revealed images of the test center in use. Currently, only BYD cars use innovative liquid-cooled charging guns and T-shaped gantries that allow multiple owners to stop at once, charge quickly and move on, without the need to park for long periods of time.
In fact, the BYD center looks more like a traditional gas station or service station, which makes sense given that the 1,500 kW outputs have already been touted to work well with the next generation of BYD’s Han, Tang and other high-end flagship models, all capable of adding nearly 250 miles of range in less than five minutes.
According to Car News China, the testing center is open to any domestic BYD vehicle wearing a Flash Charge badge, which also includes several Denza models. Users simply roll it up, plug it in, and the vehicle’s infotainment system or a dedicated Android Flash Charging app takes care of the payment procedure.
What’s more, the price at the demonstration site was reported to be 1.3 yuan per kWh, or approximately $0.18/£0.14/AU$0.27.
This equates to around $15 / £12 / AU$23 – a real bargain, considering fast charging in the UK can easily cost over £70 when the larger batteries are full.
Car News China claims that previous reports indicate that BYD may target more than 4,000 self-operated flash charging stations in China, with broader cooperation networks potentially exceeding 15,000 locations in the country in the coming years.
Tesla gets in on the megawatt action
This week also broke the news that Tesla has added 64 new ‘Mega Charger’ locations in the US to support its growing fleet of all-electric semi-trucks.
Capable of delivering over 1.2 megawatts of power, these dedicated outlets can charge a Semi truck to 60% in approximately 30 minutes, and the proposed location of the chargers creates usable corridors for electrified heavy-duty vehicles to operate effectively from coast to coast.
However, Tesla has been relatively slow to catch up when it comes to consumer EV technology, with V4 Superchargers deployed in China reportedly already capable of supporting up to 500 kW of peak power for passenger vehicles.
If leaked charging statistics from BYD’s latest Flash charging centers are correct, they already put the company two to three times faster than Tesla’s cutting-edge charging technology.
What’s more, Tesla’s failed Cybertruck is currently the only vehicle in the range capable of charging at speeds close to the proposed 500 kW power.
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