Chinese car making giant BYD has confirmed it will bring its 'game changing' electric car chargers to the UK in the coming months, promising to install hundreds across the country before the end of the year.
The world's biggest electric vehicle seller - having recently overtaken Tesla - has announced there will be 300 of its 1,000kW ultra-rapid 'flash chargers' in situ in 2026.
The chargers represent a huge step forward in terms of shortening EV charging times, with compatible cars able to add 250 miles to a battery in just five minutes.
The Chinese firm's ultra-rapid devices use a 1,000kW architecture, making them twice as powerful as Tesla's latest V4 Supercharger, which only charge up to 500kW and deliver 172 miles in 15 minutes.
The first new model capable of utilising these incredible charging speeds comes from BYD's premium sub-brand, Denza, which is arriving in the UK this year.
The Denza Z9GT EV, which uses the Chinese brand's latest 'Blade' battery technology, will be compatible with the 1,000kW flash charging tech. Bono Ge, BYD's country manager, said the incredibly powerful chargers will be able to add 1.2 miles for every second the car is plugged in.
Chinese car making giant BYD has confirmed it will bring its 'game changing' electric car chargers to the UK in the coming months, promising to install hundreds across the country before the end of the year
Speaking at the launch of BYD's new Sealion 5 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) SUV, Ge told PA: 'Our flash charging technology can add 250 miles of range in just five minutes.
'That's the equivalent of 1.2 miles of range every second, and I can officially tell you, we plan to bring the technology to the UK, with a total of 300 flash chargers to be installed in the country within this year.'
He continued to explain BYD's plans to expand its flash charging network in the UK, adding: 'The flash charging network will continue to grow into the future, but we need to cover a certain network size on a global scale before we can cover more of the UK.
'We believe 300 units is the right volume to start with before we see more vehicles utilise the technology.
'In order to grow from 300 units, we need to check our utilisation for the current public charging network, because we need to make sure we get the charging price to a reasonable level, and not to make it more expensive for the consumer.'
You can see the incredible charging speeds the devices achieve in the video below.
When BYD unveiled its flash charging system last year, bosses said it will 'fundamentally solve users' charging anxiety'
The flash chargers are part of BYD's new 'Super e-Platform' that will underpin models already being sold in China. Their batteries can be charged in just 5 minutes - around the same time it takes to fill up with fuel at the pumps
BYD's new chargers will offer double the peak power of Tesla's latest V4 Supercharger (pictured), which is the fastest device available to EV owners in Britain today
The groundbreaking devices will first be installed at BYD's expanding UK dealership network, which currently consists of more than 125 showrooms.
However, other partnerships and locations are under consideration to make the chargers accessible where they're needed most.
The flash chargers are part of BYD’s Super e-Platform – which combines the devices with new battery and electric motor tech.
Not only can the flash chargers add 1.2 miles of range per second to the latest models, older EVs should be able to charge up 20 to 30 per cent faster than normal using one of the devices.
In its home nation, BYD intends to have around 4,000 flash charging stations across China, with 500 expected to be in place by April.
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The world's biggest electric vehicle seller - having recently overtaken Tesla - has announced there will be 300 of its 1,000kW ultra-rapid 'flash chargers' in situ in the UK in 2026
Not only can the flash chargers add 1.2 miles of range per second to the latest models, older EVs should be able to charge up 20 to 30 per cent faster than normal using one of the devices
he Denza Z9GT EV, which uses the Chinese brand's latest 'Blade' battery technology, will be first model sold in the UK that's compatible with the 1,000kW flash charging tech. It is due to launch this year
The Porsche Taycan rival has a tri-motor setup and can hit 62mph from a standstill in less than 3.5 seconds
The Denza Z9GT - a luxury saloon rival to the Porsche Taycan - will go on sale in the UK in April and be available as an EV or PHEV.
While the PHEV starts from around £45,000 in China, there is no confirmation yet regarding UK prices.
The fully electric variant is powered by three electric motors, with a 380bhp motor on the front axle and two 322bhp motors sending power to the rear wheels.
All three motors can operate independently, with the car’s software working out where best to draw power from to maximise efficiency and handling performance.
It promises an eye-watering zero to 62mph time of just 3.4 seconds; supercar-rivalling acceleration.
Energy is provided by a 100kWh BYD Blade battery, which uses cell-to-body technology and should have a range of 391 miles.
And thanks to its 800-volt architecture, access to the BYD flash charger network means 250 miles of range can be added in around five minutes - almost equivalent to the time it takes to fill the tank of a petrol car at a filling station.
