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Just as Tesla prepares to roll out its V4 Supercharger, a Chinese EV brand claims its new charging architecture will shock the best of the US market. Massive EV and hybrid producer BYD says its new chargers for its upcoming Super e-Platform vehicles will replenish almost 250 miles of range in just five minutes. 

BYD, a Chinese EV brand, enjoyed a stock bump after claiming it could recover nearly 250 miles in just five minutes of charging

“I couldn’t imagine spending that much time waiting for my EV to charge.” It’s the common gripe among would-be EV adopters with cold feet. That concern, however, won’t fly if the recent claims of a Chinese EV brand are accurate and scalable. It’s BYD, the top name in Chinese EVs and the No. 1 EV producer by volume in the world. BYD claims to have pioneered a 1,000 kilowatt DC fast charging system.

If that doesn’t sound groundbreaking, wait until you hear what that means for EV drivers. Specifically, the brand’s new Super e-Platform vehicles could be able to add 400 km, or about 249 miles, in just five minutes. That’s right. Throw on “I Gotta Feeling,” by the Black Eyed Peas, and by the song’s end, you’ve got enough juice to drive from New York to Boston and then some. Bye-bye, concerns about lengthy waits at the charger. 

It’s an impressive figure by itself. But it’s also lightyears ahead of the architecture we currently have in the United States. The latest Tesla supercharging technology, the V4 Supercharger, features 500 kW charging for personal EVs and 1.2 megawatts (MW) for the upcoming Tesla Semi. However, that leaves the newest Tesla architecture at half the speed of BYD’s 1,000 kW chargers. It’s also nearly three times as fast as the current commonplace 350 kW fast charging capabilities of other US-market EVs.

Better yet, the new Chinese EV marque’s Super e-Platform may undercut the cheapest vehicle Tesla currently offers, the Model 3 Long Range RWD. According to Reuters, the Han L sedan and the Tang L SUV will start at as low as $37,328. Of course, that price reflects the Chinese market pricing for the EVs. You won’t likely see a mass-market Chinese EV on American roads for quite some time.

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Staff Writer

Erik Sherman

Erik Sherman is a MotorBiscuit Staff Writer, an admitted petrolhead, and an avid motorcyclist. Erik covers Tesla daily, including the Model Y and Cybertruck. Erik also covers Toyota, often discussing the Tundra, Tacoma, RAV4, 4Runner, and Camry. Erik also has extensive experience with military and emergency vehicles, ranging from ambulances and fire engines to MRAPs and Humvees. Erik is a United States Marine Corps combat veteran, water survival practitioner, and a former firefighter/EMT. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Texas at Austin.