BYD unveils new tech for twice as fast EV charging

BYD has introduced new technology for charging electric vehicles at vastly quicker speeds. Founder Wang Chuanfu said this "super e-platform" tech offers a peak charging speed of 1,000 kilowatts, twice that of the 500 kw charging currently offered by Tesla's superchargers. That would mean a car can travel 249 miles (400 kilometers) from a five-minute charge on a BYD station. This charging architecture will initially be available in two of BYD's vehicle models: the Han L sedan and Tang L SUV.

"In order 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 refuelling time of petrol vehicles," said Wang.

The company is also bringing its quick-charging tech to Chinese drivers for the first time. BYD plans to construct 4,000 ultra-fast charging units across the country, although it did not provide a timeline or budget for the endeavor. To date, owners of BYD vehicles have needed to use charging stations from third-party operators or different EV manufacturers such as Tesla.

BYD has been putting more and more EVs on the road around the world. Last year, its second-quarter shipment figures jumped 21 percent to draw very close to Tesla's numbers.

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