The value has skyrocketed after the major Chinese electric car maker BYD said the latest battery was charged quickly enough to add a 400 km (249 miles) range in just five minutes.
BYD's Hong Kong-listed stocks won 4.1% on Tuesday, reaching a record high of 408.80 Hong Kong dollars ($40.58).
Chinese companies are already the world's largest manufacturer of battery-electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, combining batteries with contaminated gasoline engines. Investors, including Warren Buffett, are betting that the company can expand its lead in electric vehicles production and selling batteries to rival automakers.
This is what you need to know.
What can a Byd car do?
Wang Chuanfu, founder of BYD, says that it is often referred to as China's Elon Musk, but that the flagship model can receive megawatts of power, or 1,000 kilowatts (KW), allowing the company to “completely solve user charging anxiety.”
The first models with ultra-fast charging technology are the Han L Saloon and Tang L SUVs. At Megawatt Speed, new cars achieve “oil and electricity speeds” in terms of charging time.
a 10c rating That means you can fill it in 1/1 hour or 6 minutes. Adds an area of about 2km per second.
How do you compare it to your competitors?
Tesla held its title as the biggest manufacturer of pure electric vehicles in 2024, but the announcement of BYD appeared to encourage Musk to question whether the company run by Musk is distracted by its loyalty to Donald Trump – is behind. Most of Tesla's “supercharger” networks are an important part of their appeal to early electric car buyers, offering enough charges in 15 minutes to drive 172 miles at power levels of up to 250kW, while the latest chargers reach 500kW.
Tesla shares fell 4.8% on Monday, falling more than 5% after Wall Street opened on Tuesday.
Eunice Lee, an Asian automotive analyst at investment research firm Bernstein, cited Chinese rivals XPENG and ZEEKR. She was “generally impressed” by BYD's claims after falling behind her rival.
For comparison, the main plug offers approximately 2.3kW. This compared to BYD's claim 1,000kW. In the UK, “ultra rapids” are generally thought to be over 150kW, but there are dozens of chargers on major roads that are faster than 350kW.
More and more people are buying electric cars and need to work on charging for the first time. However, not all chargers are created equally and the abundance of units can cause confusion.
Charging speed is measured by the output of kilowatts (kW) and battery capacity is measured in kilowatts time (kWh). For example, Nissan Y has a battery capacity of 39kWh, while the Tesla Model Y has a 60kWh.
Charging time varies depending on the size of the battery. Divide the size of the battery by power and you get a very rough idea of how long it takes to charge. (For example, a 60kWh battery with a 22kW charger takes about 3 hours.) The faster it charges, the more expensive it costs.
Slow: Up to 8kW
The typical street chargers and cars in the homes are hanging out like in a parking lot or hotel. Suitable for overnight charging. Connecting a UK 3-pin plug to your main home provides about 2.3kW, but not recommended.
High speed: 8kw~49kw
Found at city sites such as supermarkets, shopping centres, and parking. You can charge a small battery in just a few hours.
Quick: 50kW to 150kW
They were usually found near large roads to recharge their trips, but they were also increasingly found in places where they were shorter inhabitants, such as supermarkets and gyms. 50kW can give you 80% charge in less than an hour.
Ultra-Rapid: 150kW or more
Most chargers installed in highway services or dedicated charging hubs are at least 150kW. Many new cars are now able to handle 150kW, some can charge at speeds above 300kW, adding a range of hundreds of miles in about 10 minutes.
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Quick Guide
Electric vehicle charging speed
show
Not all chargers are created equally
More and more people are buying electric cars and need to work on charging for the first time. However, not all chargers are created equally and the abundance of units can cause confusion.
Charging speed is measured by the output of kilowatts (kW) and battery capacity is measured in kilowatts time (kWh). For example, Nissan Y has a battery capacity of 39kWh, while the Tesla Model Y has a 60kWh.
Charging time varies depending on the size of the battery. Divide the size of the battery by power and you get a very rough idea of how long it takes to charge. (For example, a 60kWh battery with a 22kW charger takes about 3 hours.) The faster it charges, the more expensive it costs.
Slow: Up to 8kW
The typical street chargers and cars in the homes are hanging out like in a parking lot or hotel. Suitable for overnight charging. Connecting a UK 3-pin plug to your main home provides about 2.3kW, but not recommended.
High speed: 8kw~49kw
Found at city sites such as supermarkets, shopping centres, and parking. You can charge a small battery in just a few hours.
Quick: 50kW to 150kW
They were usually found near large roads to recharge their trips, but they were also increasingly found in places where they were shorter inhabitants, such as supermarkets and gyms. 50kW can give you 80% charge in less than an hour.
Ultra-Rapid: 150kW or more
Most chargers installed in highway services or dedicated charging hubs are at least 150kW. Many new cars are now able to handle 150kW, some can charge at speeds above 300kW, adding a range of hundreds of miles in about 10 minutes.
How is this fast charging possible?
The charger must supply ultra-high voltage and ultra-high current at the same time. However, particularly large flows, cause problems as the batteries tend to cause damage. BYD said it was able to reduce the internal resistance of the new battery, allowing for the highest charging speed of the production vehicle.
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To handle high voltages, BYD also says it needs to generate a new generation of silicon carbide power chips.
BYD also said it will install a network of 4,000 megawatt “flash charging stations” across China to enable fast charging.
Are there any drawbacks?
The obvious one is the cost. New electrical technology adds the cost of production for the vehicle, but the speed of charging can make the car desirable for people with “range anxiety.”
Another big problem is the cost of energy. It requires more power, which means faster charging costs. This requires an expensive connection to the power grid. This means that the fastest charger will command a big premium.
Plus, it is unclear how such fast charging will affect the batteries, which will break down for their lifetimes. With existing technologies, regular fast charging is done at the expense of reducing the overall range.
Do all cars have this technology?
No – Right away, anyway. Premium automakers scramble to catch up with BYD, but in the mass market they focus on reducing battery costs rather than going to the most advanced. For many drivers, especially for drivers with private charges, there is little need to be billed on a public charger, except for the odd long haul holidays. Otherwise, you can refill overnight when the energy prices are at the lowest.
