BYD claims five minute charge adds 310 miles while BMW warns of trade offs
By Eve
BYD has unveiled a 1,500 kW flash charging system in China that can charge the Denza Z9GT from 10% to 70% in roughly five minutes and 10% to 97% in nine minutes, adding approximately 310 miles of range in five minutes using its second generation Blade Battery. BMW battery production boss Markus Fallböhmer cautioned that optimising for such charging speeds requires compromises on other battery performance factors, noting BMW could increase charging speed but would have to reduce other important battery characteristics. BMW's iX3 and i3 models currently support 400 kW charging speeds.
Why it matters: The competing approaches to ultra fast charging highlight a strategic divide in EV infrastructure planning, with BYD's 1,500 kW system potentially reshaping charging site design and power requirements while BMW's caution suggests procurement teams may need to balance peak charging capability against battery longevity and total cost of ownership when specifying charging infrastructure.