BYD has carried out the first UK demonstration of its flash charging technology which can charge a battery from 5% to 70% in five minutes.
The manufacturer, at its UK headquarters in Uxbridge, also revealed its T-shaped charging unit which houses two cables, each of which hangs vertically on a rail.
This makes it easier to connect to a vehicle than traditional chargers, preventing the cable from dragging across the ground and getting wet or dirty.
As part of flash charging, the battery charge can also be increased from 10% to 97% charge in nine minutes, and a 20% to 97% charge, at -30°C, in 12 minutes.
In conjunction with the firm’s latest Blade Battery 2.0, flash charging enables delivery of up to 1500kW through a single connector.
Energy for charging vehicles is supplied by on-site battery storage, whose charge is gradually topped at all times of day when required – from between 100kW and 560kW, depending on demand.
BYD’s Denza Z9 GT is the first vehicle coming to the UK market capable of accepting flash charging.
Based on its WLTP combined range of 372 miles, a five-minute charge can add 223 miles of range and a nine-minute charge adds 323 miles.
By the end of 2026, BYD is planning to install 300 of the chargers at Denza stores and other locations.
Stella Li, BYD Executive Vice President said, “The first demonstration of flash charging in the UK is another significant landmark for the technology.
“Flash charging’s ability to make our second-generation blade battery ready in five minutes, full in nine minutes, and to add just three minutes in cold weather sets a new standard for the future of premium mobility.”
