BYD completes 10,000th flash-charging station, plans 20,000 by end-2026

BYD has reached a milestone in its flash-charging rollout, with its 10,000th flash-charging station now completed. The company is already looking further ahead, with plans to double the network to 20,000 stations by the end of 2026.

BYD executive vice president He Zhiqi said the company reached the 10,000-station mark in less than six months after the technology was introduced on 5 March. That works out to an average of around 55 new flash-charging stations opening every day.

The network now covers 325 cities across China, extending from extremely cold regions such as Shuangyashan in Heilongjiang and Hulunbuir in Inner Mongolia to hot-weather locations including Turpan. BYD has also taken the network to Kashgar in Xinjiang, Sanya in Hainan, and areas near Mount Everest.

BYD had 7,018 flash-charging stations at the end of June, meaning the network grew by almost 3,000 stations in just two months.

The company's second-generation Blade Battery and flash-charging technology are capable of delivering some of the fastest charging speeds claimed for a mass-production EV. BYD says its vehicles can charge from 10% to 70% in five minutes, or from 10% to 97% in nine minutes.

In temperatures as low as -30°C, a 20-97% charge reportedly takes only three minutes longer than under normal conditions. BYD says the technology is aimed at addressing two of the common concerns about EVs: long charging times and slower charging in cold weather.

According to BYD, the company now holds three charging-related records in China: the largest self-built charging network, the fastest rollout to 10,000 stations, and the widest geographical coverage.

In less than six months since the flash-charging network was launched, it has delivered 210 million kWh of electricity and served more than 1.83 million users. Around one-third of them drive vehicles from other brands, highlighting that the network is open to EV owners beyond BYD customers.

Back to Malaysia, earlier reports have confirmed that BYD will bring its megawatt flash-charging technology to Malaysia, with plans to first install the chargers at BYD and Denza dealerships.

As the local charging infrastructure develops, the technology is expected to be expanded to more public locations, giving Malaysian EV owners greater access to high-speed charging.