Why BYD's new charging platform is an electric game changer

BYD's new charging system is supposedly as fast as filling up at the petrol station.

Love it or hate it, electric cars are the future.

And while the tech has come along miles in the last few years, some people still have concerns about making the switch.

Range anxiety, high purchase costs, battery life – we’ve heard all of these worries and more.

But BYD are about to put one major EV (electric vehicle) roadblock to bed.

For good.

Last month the Chinese carmaker announced a ground-breaking new charging system that could revolutionise widespread EV adoption.

And just in time for the UK’s 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars.

So, what’s the crack with BYD’s new charging system – and what does it really mean for the EV industry?

We’ve done the research, so you don’t have to.

What are the major EV barriers?

This might shock you, but electric cars aren’t a new invention.

They’ve actually been around for longer than computers, telephones and even women’s right to vote.

But in the early age of the automobile, carmakers weighed up the pros and cons – and put their bets on the combustion engine.

And why wouldn’t they? This was before the dawn of the computer: batteries were not powerful enough to keep up with combustion engines.

While EV’s languished at the bottom of the bin for more than a hundred years, battery tech has definitely moved with the times.

Cue the humble lithium-ion battery.

It’s done a cracking job at bringing the modern EV concept to life.

Even though serial production of the first highway legal EV was way back in 2008, the conversation around EV's hasn’t moved on. Despite the fact that tech has advanced rapidly since then.

People are still worried about the same things, including:

• High outright costs
• Battery longevity
• Sustainable battery production
• Charging times

And a lot of work has been done to tackle these issues.

There are plenty of EV’s that work on a budget: the Volkswagen ID.3 and ID.4, Peugeot e-208, and the new Ford Capri all have starting prices below £50,000.

Charging times have also improved with rapid charging becoming more widely available across the UK. But it’s still not on par with a simple petrol refuel.

Enter BYD and their charging breakthrough.

Because if what they say is true, you’ll never need to lurk at a service stop waiting for your electric car to charge, ever again.

No more dodgy coffees. No more ill-advised McDonalds breakfasts when you could be on the road.

It’s the stuff dreams are made of.

Who are BYD?

BYD is short for Build Your Dreams.

And there couldn’t be a more apt name, if you ask us.

Because BYD are not the newest kid on the block, but they’ve made the biggest splash in the market since Tesla launched the Roadster.

This Chinese manufacturing conglomerate has been about since the mid-90’s. But when it started, BYD was all about developing renewable energy as a battery manufacturer.

When it comes to green new energy solutions, they are literally leading the pack.

But with a name like ‘Build Your Dreams’, why stop there?

BYD is ambitious. It’s visionary.

It’s not going to let others do what it can do better.

So, taking high-tech batteries into the world of EV’s was the obvious next step as BYD Auto.

While Tesla launched with the lithium-ion battery we all know, BYD made its cars revolutionary with the use of their more advanced blade-battery.

It boasts better safety, higher range, increased longevity, strength and power over traditional lithium-ion. Which means, frankly, better EV’s for us to enjoy.

By pairing the most cutting-edge technology with advanced safety and affordable prices, BYD didn’t just dominate the Chinese car market.

They conquered it.

And now they’ve launched internationally, with UK showrooms opening as recently as 2023.

Going global has definitely been a smart move, with rapid growth expected to continue despite increasing competition from more well-known brands.

Manufacturing giants like Peugeot, Ford and Mercedes-Benz have been rolling out EV’s as part of their line up in recent years. But most carmakers are still in the process of embracing EV-centric production.

The future of electric cars is all to play for – and we think BYD is on its way to topple Tesla from its position as number one.

BYD's Super e-Platform

We’re not in the business of making blind predictions here.

BYD have just made an announcement that’s so strong it should’ve been followed by a mic drop.

Because all those worries about charging times? They’re about to become a thing of the past, with BYD’s new super-charging system.

Get ready for it.

If it works as promised, the Super e-Platform will recharge an EV battery to 240 miles of range in just five minutes.

Jaw on the floor? Ours too, but this is coming from battery tech pioneers. If anyone can do it, it's BYD.

We’re talking 1,000 kilowatts (kW) of power, a new generation of automotive-grade silicon carbide power chips, a single-module motor capable of 30,000rpm, and an upgraded three-core electrical system.

All to make the fastest and most powerful EV recharge the world has ever seen.

But how does it work?

Well, it won’t for the bog-standard EV: most just aren’t built to support speeds like this (it would probably melt the charging cable, actually – the heat such a recharge would give off would be insane).

Instead, cars will have to be built to cope with the heat and pressure of taking 1000kW in five short minutes.

That means EV’s will need 1000V architecture with batteries, motors and appropriate heat-management in place. And a way to combat internal resistance, which slows down battery charging over time.

Good thing BYD has upgraded some of its line up with this in mind. 

While we’ve enjoyed the delights of the ATTO 3, the SEAL and the DOLPHIN here in the UK, some of BYD’s models are only available in China.

Like the Han L and the Tang L saloons.

Which, incidentally, are the first of BYD’s cars being treated to the new ‘kilovolt’ upgrade. Including a new battery which will cut internal resistance by 50%.

Basically, BYD is giving these two cars twice the power and half the internal resistance to achieve this super-fast, super-powerful recharge.

It’s seriously impressive.

And seriously revolutionary – if BYD rolls this charging system out globally and updates its full lineup, it could end a significant barrier in widespread EV adoption for good.

In fact, we bet it could end several of them.

Forget self-driving cars and all the other gimmicks.

This is true market leadership in action.