Chinese EV maker BYD set to overtake Tesla promising 5-minute charge battery

New Delhi: Chinese automaker BYD Co.’s new battery charging system will allow some of its cars to charge within five minutes, outshining its competitors including Tesla, Inc, The Indian Express reported.

The company’s Chairman and founder Wang Chuanfu said Monday that BYD’s new battery and charging system ‘Super e-Platform’ could offer 470 km of range in 5 minutes on its new Han L sedan.

BYD will bring out vehicles with the new technology from April with the first models to get the ultra-fast charging include the Han L and the Tang L sport utility vehicle.

Alongside ultra-fast charging, Wang reportedly said that these car can achieve a speed of 100 km per hour in 2 seconds.

The reported innovations will clearly put BYD far ahead of others in the international EV market, obviously widening its gap with competitors including Tesla Inc.

BYD’s promise 470 km range with a 5-minute charge places the company far ahead of Tesla’s Superchargers that provides 275 km of range in 15 minutes.

Other carmakers are also racing head in fast-battery charge with Mercedes-Benz Group claiming that its new 800-volt electric architecture, the CLA takes just 10 minutes to recharge and provide a range of 325 km.

BYD’s Chinese competitor Li Auto promises 500 kilometer of range in 12 minutes, thanks to its battery from Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd. or CATL, the world’s biggest battery maker. CATL is reportedly the main competitor of BYD in battery market.

BYD’s new battery-charging system could clearly give it an edge in technology over the world’s top EV seller, Tesla.

However, BYD’s new platform requires the company to set up new charging infrastructure.

The Chinese company will reportedly set up more than 4,000 charging stations domestically and elsewhere.

Tesla, however, boasts of having set up more than 60,000 Superchargers worldwide.