BYD Breaks Record: 10% to 70% Charge in Just 5 Minutes

According to the science and technology service of the Saed News website, BYD has introduced its “Flash Charging” technology, setting a new record in electric vehicle charging speed. In a demonstration video that quickly went viral on social media, a vehicle equipped with a second-generation Blade battery is shown charging from 10% to 70% in just 5 minutes, and reaching 97% in 9 minutes and 22 seconds. This level of speed brings the EV charging experience close to traditional refueling and targets one of the major barriers to widespread electric vehicle adoption.

The system operates at a peak power of 1.5 megawatts (1500 kW) and is built on a 1000-volt Super e-Platform architecture with the Blade Battery 2.0. The new battery not only supports a 10C charging rate (ten times its capacity) but also offers higher energy density, enabling a driving range of over 1000 kilometers (based on China’s CLTC standard). In real-world European conditions, BYD’s 1.5-megawatt liquid-cooled charger has also demonstrated similar performance.

However, the technology has not been without controversy. Experts in the field have raised serious discussions regarding required infrastructure, heat management in cables and connectors, and the high cost of installing megawatt-level chargers. Some consider it a “true revolution” that could completely eliminate range anxiety, while others point to challenges in power grids and compatibility with global standards. BYD has announced plans to deploy thousands of Flash Charging stations in China by the end of 2026 and is also planning expansion into Europe.

In a recent demonstration, a vehicle—likely the Denza Z9GT model or a similar prototype—was able to gain hundreds of kilometers of range in just a few minutes, drawing significant attention. The company even claims that the technology can add around 2 kilometers of range per second, surpassing current 800-volt fast-charging systems.

From a market perspective, BYD, as one of the world’s largest electric vehicle manufacturers, is pushing competition with companies such as Tesla into a new phase. If Flash Charging infrastructure expands widely, downtime during long trips could be dramatically reduced, making EVs more attractive for families and commercial fleets. However, in markets such as Europe and the United States, issues like connector standardization (such as CCS) and power grid capacity remain major challenges.