SHANGHAI (Reuters) – China’s BYD has unveiled a megawatt charging system that it says can charge an EV as quickly as filling up a fuel tank, and said it will build a network across China, igniting a new super charging race.
Here are more details about the Chinese electric vehicle giant’s new technology and why the fast-charging space is attracting interest:
WHY DOES FAST-CHARGING EV TECHNOLOGY MATTER?
Drivers sceptical of EVs have cited worries that their batteries could go flat during long-distance drives, prompting automakers to come up with fast-charging as well as battery-swapping technology as solutions.
Chinese automakers are increasing using such technologies as key selling points to attract buyers in a hyper competitive market and such technologies have been credited for contributing to the high adoption of EVs in China. Tesla also offers ultra-fast chargers.
HOW DOES BYD’S NEW SYSTEM COMPARE TO OTHERS?
BYD said its so-called “super e-platform” will be capable of peak charging of 1,000 kilowatts (kW), enabling cars that use it to travel 400 km (249 miles) on a 5-minute charge.
To achieve such performance, BYD said it had developed a package of technologies including batteries with a 10C charging multiplier, which means they can be charged at 10 times the battery’s capacity per hour. Others include high-power motors, high-volt silicon carbide power chips and fast chargers that support 1,000 kW of power.
By comparison, Tesla mainly sticks with a 400-volt system that can charge at up to 250kW for its EVs. The exceptions for the U.S. automaker are its Cybertruck that runs on a 800-volt architecture with a maximum rate of 350kW, and Semi truck that has a 1,000-volt powertrain.
Zeekr, Geely’s premium EV brand, launched last year an 800-volt platform that can charge 80% of a 75-kwh battery in its Zeekr 007 sedan from 10% in 10.5 minutes. Li Auto and Xpeng have similar technology that can achieve more than 400 km driving range on a 10-minute charge.
WHY DOES BYD NOW WANT TO BUILD A CHARGING NETWORK?
BYD accounts for more than a third of the EV sales in China but its owners have largely relied on other automakers’ charging facilities or public charging poles run by third-party operators to date.
The company said the latest super e-platform required its own fast chargers and that it would build more than 4,000 such charging stations across China, without specifiying a time frame. Founder Wang Chuanfu, at the unveiling event on Monday,
also appealed to external investors, saying the company would welcome their help in building more.
