- BYD’s Flash Charging tech can charge an EV from 10-97% in just nine minutes.
- Oil company Sinopec will work with BYD to replace gas stations with EV charging hubs.
- EVs and PHEVs fitted with BYD’s second-gen Blade batteries support Flash Charging.
In many parts of the world, EV charging infrastructure has failed to keep pace with the electric cars and batteries it’s supposed to serve. That’s not the case in China, where BYD has been rapidly expanding its network of 1,500 kW Flash Charging stations, most recently teaming up with state-owned petroleum giant Sinopec to turn gas stations into EV charging locations.
The two companies have been working together since mid-2024, and the fruits of their labor have been shown at a new charging station in Shanghai. Previously, this had been a gas station operated by Sinopec, but the oil giant obviously saw the trend among Chinese buyers towards EVs and plug-in hybrids, and knew it had to get into the EV charging game.
Read: BYD Says Its New Battery Can Recharge As Fast As Filling Up Your Gas Tank
While this is the first Sinopec location converted into a Flash Charging hub from BYD, it won’t be the last. Plenty more of the company’s fuel stations are slated for the same treatment. Running at up to 1,500 kW, these chargers can take a battery from 10 to 70 percent in five minutes, and from 10 to 97 percent in as little as nine.
A Look Into The Future
Thanks to the ultra-fast design, they don’t need to be arranged like typical DC chargers. Instead, they’re set up like gas pumps with six large T-shaped chargers installed at this site, each with two plugs. As this site was once a gas station, it still includes a small convenience store and a lounge where owners can sit while their cars are charged.
For years, EV critics have been stating that charging an EV would never be as quick as filling up a combustion-powered car. Not only has BYD’s Flash Charging brought charging speeds almost in line with pumping gas, but it’s now started to actually replace gas stations. In the event of a blackout, each Flash Charger has four spare Blade batteries with a capacity of 169 kWh or 185 kWh, which can be used to top up the brand’s eligible EVs and PHEVs.
