BYD launches new electric car battery, can run 400 km with just 5 minutes of charging

BYD has just launched a new generation of electric vehicle batteries that apply super-fast charging and discharging technology. BYD Chairman Wang Chuanfu said the new battery will significantly shorten the charging time of electric vehicles, comparable to the waiting time for refueling for internal combustion engine vehicles.

This battery pack is the brand's most advanced, using a 1,500 V silicon carbide module, which allows the battery to discharge efficiently, providing huge power to the electric motor. Thanks to that, the car can be fully charged with enough capacity to travel 400 km in just 5 minutes.

The charging technology and battery pack are designed to work with BYD's new generation Megawatt Flash Charger, which has a capacity of up to 1,000 kW. In real-world testing with the Han L EV and Tang L EV, charging from 7% to 50% took just 4.5 minutes.

Compared to its competitors, BYD really scores big on charging speed. Tesla’s Supercharger system takes 15 minutes to recharge the Model Y’s battery for 170 miles of range. Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz’s new CLA EV takes 10 minutes to charge for 200 miles of range.

The new charging technology immediately created a positive effect, pushing BYD's stock price to a record high. At the opening session of trading in Hong Kong on March 18, BYD's market capitalization reached nearly62 billion USD- more than the combined value of Ford, General Motors and Volkswagen.