9 Minutes to Full Charge, 20,000 Self-Built Stations by Year-End: How BYD Is Disrupting Electric Vehicles

Short range, slow charging, and the inability to cross the Shanhaiguan Pass were pain points for EV users a decade ago—and they remain significant today.

Wang Chuanfu is confident in addressing these issues: "No one understands batteries better than BYD."

Last night, BYD unveiled its second-generation Blade Battery and flash-charging technology, significantly narrowing the gap between charging and refueling speeds. Charging from 10% to 70% takes just five minutes; reaching nearly full charge at 97% takes only nine minutes. In cold-weather tests at -20°C, charging from 20% to 97% took just 12 minutes.

BYD also announced plans to build 20,000 flash-charging stations by the end of the year, enabling owners to truly access ultra-high-speed charging. Ten models equipped with the second-generation Blade Battery debuted at last night's launch event, with deliveries expected to begin as early as this month.

However, meeting consumers' demands for everything—speed, range, and more—is not enough with fast charging alone. During the three-hour launch event, BYD presented a comprehensive solution aimed at a single goal: maintaining strong sales performance through 2026.

01Can Charging Get Even Faster?

Almost a year ago, BYD unveiled its Megawatt Flash Charging technology. Vehicles equipped with this system can achieve a maximum charging power of 1,000 kW. A year later, the era of Megawatt Flash Charging has passed; Wang Chuanfu believes it is time for a qualitative leap.

Why does he say so?

The second-generation Blade Battery combined with Flash Charging technology can charge to 70% in five minutes and reach 97% capacity in nine minutes. At temperatures as low as -30°C, the process takes only three additional minutes. The key advantage is that Flash Charging maintains high speed from start to finish.

Before the launch event, we were invited to test-charge at a Flash Charging station near BYD headquarters. A Fangchengbao Tai 3 equipped with the second-generation Blade Battery charged from 10% to 97% in 8 minutes and 48 seconds. Also charging on-site was the Denza Z9 GT, which reached a displayed range of 1,009 km in 9 minutes and 12 seconds.

Meanwhile, BYD set up a cold storage unit simulating -30°C conditions for a live test of a fully ice-covered Fangchengbao Tai 7. It charged from 10% to 97% in 10 minutes and 3 seconds.

An analysis of the data reveals that the fastest charging interval occurs between 10% and 30%, taking approximately 45 seconds per 10% increment. Afterward, each subsequent 10% takes about one minute on average. While most vehicles on the market slow down significantly once battery levels exceed 80%, Flash Charging remains remarkably fast, moving from 80% to 90% in just one and a half minutes.

Compared with refueling, BYD’s flash charging takes 9 minutes to reach full charge at room temperature and 10 minutes in extreme cold. While still slower than pumping gas, the gap is narrowing, bringing the day when charging matches refueling speed closer.

02Flash Charging Cannot Solve Everything

The capabilities of flash charging are evident, but the potential negative consequences are significant. This challenge faces not only BYD but the entire new energy vehicle industry as it pushes for faster charging:

Does fast charging damage the battery?

Fast-charging stations are too far from home, or automakers build none themselves.

Highway replenishment remains limited to 60kW, with long queues during holidays.

Is the battery truly safe?

Fast charging damages batteries? BYD extends warranty coverage. Compared to the first-generation Blade Battery, the second-generation Blade Battery increases its overall guaranteed capacity retention rate by 2.5 percent. Warranty coverage applies if battery capacity falls below 87.5 percent after two years or 50,000 kilometers, below 77.5 percent after six years or 150,000 kilometers, and below 72.5 percent after eight years or 150,000 kilometers.

Meanwhile, BYD has finally begun large-scale self-construction of charging stations, aiming to build 20,000 flash-charging stations by the end of this year. The figure of 20,000 is composed as follows:

Among these, 2,000 stations will be entirely built by BYD in highway service areas. The first batch of 1,000 flash-charging stations will be completed before the May Day holiday.

The other 18,000 stations will be based on existing public charging stations, with BYD partnering with different charging operators to convert them into flash-charging stations. Wang Chuanfu stated that retrofitting a charging station is as simple as installing an air conditioner.

In fact, while retrofitting stations for flash charging presents no significant difficulties, other challenges must still be overcome.

According to Wang Chuanfu, each flash-charging pile will be equipped with an energy storage battery. This battery acts as a reservoir for electrical energy, preventing excessive pressure on the power grid during high-speed charging; it also functions as a power amplifier, enabling vehicles to charge at high power levels.

Wang Chuanfu stated: "When retrofitting existing charging piles, even with a capacity of only 100 kW, adding an energy storage system can amplify the charging power tenfold to 1 MW, creating a flash-charging station."

A key question remains: who will bear the cost of this energy storage battery?

During last night's press conference, Wang Chuanfu also introduced the safety performance of BYD's second-generation Blade Battery. BYD conducted several rigorous tests:

After 500 charge cycles, the second-generation Blade Battery underwent simultaneous flash charging and nail penetration tests. Whether at approximately 70% state of charge or around 96% high state of charge, the penetrated cells produced no smoke, caught no fire, and did not explode.

In the second-generation Blade Battery pack, thermal runaway was triggered in four internal cells. After sitting for 24 hours, the battery pack showed no signs of fire or explosion. (The new national standard requires that after thermal runaway in one cell, the battery pack must not catch fire or explode.)

After enduring three bottom impacts of 300J, 1000J, and 1500J respectively, the battery pack still did not catch fire or explode. (The new national standard requires resistance to 150J impacts.)

BYD’s second-generation Blade Battery and flash-charging technology have indeed reached a critical turning point, marking the shift from quantitative accumulation to qualitative change.

According to the plan, the first batch of vehicles equipped with the second-generation Blade Battery covers 10 models across the Dynasty Network, Ocean Network, Denza, Fangchengbao, and Yangwang brands. Prices range from entry-level models priced at over ten thousand yuan to million-yuan luxury vehicles. More importantly, BYD’s self-built charging stations can better leverage the potential of flash-charging technology, enabling more users to benefit from it in their daily lives.

Competition in the 2026 automotive market has already begun. Facing sales pressure, retaining existing customers and attracting new ones is a mandatory question. BYD’s major announcements early this year signal the trend for the entire year: as refueling and charging experiences become increasingly similar, will new energy vehicles become a must-have choice for more people?

Written by James Edited by Daji