BYD claims its fast-charging system can add up to 249 miles in just five minutes|Alpha|CC BY-NC 2.0
Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer BYD introduced a fast charging system that adds roughly 249 miles of range in just five minutes—matching the time it takes to refuel a gas-powered car.
The system charges twice as fast as Tesla’s latest Superchargers, which adds up to 168 miles in 15 minutes.
The breakthrough also puts the Chinese automaker ahead of Mercedes-Benz in fast-charging technology.
Following the announcement, BYD’s shares jumped over 6% on Tuesday, marking an 85% increase over the past 12 months.
BYD remains China’s top EV seller, delivering 318,233 vehicles in February. The company will release its fourth-quarter earnings next Monday.
Meanwhile, Tesla is working on a lower-cost Model Y after its EV market share in China fell to 10% from 12% last year.
Engineers aim to cut production costs by 20%-30%, with test manufacturing expected to start later this year and mass production in 2026.