- EXPLORE FURTHER: Electric vehicle brakes generate pollutants more harmful than those from diesel engines.
Although electric vehicles may attract environmentally aware drivers, the concern over losing battery power before reaching one’s destination deters numerous potential buyers.
However, the Chinese EV manufacturer BYD asserts that its newest models will put an end to 'range anxiety.'
BYD says its new charging system, dubbed the 'Super-E Platform', can enable a car to travel 250 miles (400km) after just five minutes of charging.
This 1,000-kilowatt (kW) charger – twice as powerful as the rival Tesla Supercharger – can recharge an EV battery in the same time it takes to fill a petrol car with fuel.
Last year, BYD was the world's second largest manufacturer of battery-powered electric vehicles only just behind Elon Musk's Tesla.
However, this latest innovation could catapult the Chinese company into the top position by tempting buyers reluctant to give up their conventional petrol cars.
BYD founder Wang Chuanfu, often described as China 's Elon Musk , said at a launch event in Shenzhen, China that the company's new cars would achieve 'oil-electric parity' for refuelling.
Mr Wang added: 'In order to completely solve our users’ 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.'
According to BYD, the new ultra-fast charging technology will initially be available in two new vehicles, the Han L sedan and Tang L SUV, which were launched this year.
Both the Han L sedan and the Tang L SUV start slightly cheaper than the typical cost of an electric vehicle in the UK ranging from 270,000 to 350,000 yuan ($37,300-$48,350 or £28,700-£37,300).
The firm asserts that this innovative battery design in their vehicles enables an addition of approximately 1.20 miles (2 kilometers) of range per each second of charging when operating at maximum efficiency.
officially has a rating of '10C,' indicating that these vehicles can achieve a full charge in one-tenth of an hour, which is equivalent to six minutes.
Rapid charging necessitates the transfer of substantial electrical power, implying the generation of both a high voltage and a significant current concurrently.
One major obstacle to boosting charging capacity is that high currents generate significant amounts of heat, posing risks when accumulated within a sizable battery.
To address this issue, BYD claims it has succeeded in decreasing the internal resistance of the battery, which implies that the battery generates less heat as current flows through it.
Moreover, the firm claims it has developed new silicon carbide power chips capable of enduring increased voltage levels.
In a post on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, translated via Google Translate, the company says: ‘BYD officially releases flash charging battery with ultra-high voltage of 1000V, ultra-large current of 1000A and ultra-large power of 1000kW.'
Speaking at the launch event Mr Wang added: 'This is the first time in the industry that the unit of megawatt has been achieved on charging power.'
This power level increases the capacity of most charging systems found in the UK and the US by two or three times.
Tesla's latest generation of Superchargers are capable of hitting 500 kW, but the vast majority of older Superchargers top out between 250 and 400 kW.
Most of Tesla's Superchargers in the UK provide enough charge to drive 172 miles (277km) after 15 minutes of charging.
BYD has announced its intention to set up a network comprising 4,000 fast-charging stations throughout China.
Stronger charging stations need direct connection to the power grid along with specialized cooling systems to avoid overheating.
This implies that the new flash-charging system might necessitate building further infrastructure, such as constructing extra substations and transformers.
Nevertheless, BYD has not offered any details regarding the timeline for building these stations or how they intend to fund their construction.
Similarly, BYD states that the technology will first be accessible solely within China, and they have not verified if they intend to deploy flash chargers in other locations.
Many industry experts view quicker charging times and improved driving ranges as crucial factors for transitioning from vehicles powered by internal combustion engines, which release contaminants.
According to a 2024 survey conducted by management consultancy firm McKinsey & Company, 40 percent of potential electric vehicle (EV) purchasers aimed for a driving range exceeding 400 miles on a single battery charge—approximately equivalent to the typical distance a gasoline-powered car can cover with one full tank.
Similarly, 42 percent of participants indicated that charging speed is their primary concern.
Of those people, 60 per cent said they wanted charging times of 30 minutes or less.
BYD's advancement has been met with approval from global markets and could potentially assist BYD in surpassing its competitor Tesla over an extended period.
Following the announcement, BYD's shares surged to an all-time peak, rising by 4.1 percent on Tuesday to reach a value of HK$408.80 ($52.59) on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
Meanwhile, On Tuesday, Tesla's stock value fell by 5.5 percent. , adding another 4.8 percent drop from Monday.
Overall, Tesla's value has dropped by 44 percent throughout 2025 due to investor concerns about CEO Elon Musk's prominent association with Donald Trump.
Since Trump's election, The automotive company has experienced over $800 billion (£617bn) erased from its stock market value.
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