- BYD unveils the Super e-Platform that will underpin the world’s fastest-charging EVs coming later this year.
- It allows for charging at up to 1,000 kilowatts (one megawatt) thanks to a 1,000-volt electrical architecture.
- EVs built on this platform will be able to add 249 miles of range in just 5 minutes.
It’s China, not Europe or North America, where the quickest-charging and most advanced EVs are coming from. And now BYD’s new Super e-Platform further strengthens that position. After revealing EVs that could charge at up to 500 kilowatts, BYD says its new tech allows up to 1,000 kW charging power, which can replenish range at a rate of 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) per second.
According to the company’s website and news reports, Super e-Platform runs at 1,000 volts, which is higher than even the highest voltage of the current crop of EVs. They peak around 800 volts or 900 volts in Lucid vehicles, and it’s these vehicles that also provide the highest charging power.
Photo by: BYD
BYD – 1000 kW ultra-fast charging
BYD’s new platform can also take up to 1,000 amps of current, enough to add 249 miles (400 km) of range in just 5 minutes. That’s almost as quick as putting fuel in a combustion vehicle, eliminating one of the biggest EV drawbacks, the need to wait around often for dozens of minutes for them to make meaningful range gains while plugged in.
Special charging stations with beefy specs are required to achieve the maximum charging power, but BYD has announced its plan to build 4,000 of them around China. The manufacturer didn’t say when it would start building these stations, and it didn’t give a time frame for the completion of the planned 1,000 kW network.
Unlike regular EV chargers, these new high-powered units can’t simply be installed anywhere, as they demand substantial electrical capacity to operate at full capacity. They may require more direct access to high-voltage mains, limiting their deployment to locations with robust grid infrastructure.
Photo by: Autohome
BYD – 1,000 volt platform
Buyers in China can already pre-order the $37,350 BYD Han L and $38,700 Tang L, which are built on the new platform, allowing them to charge faster than any other EV in the world. They also have new high-performance motors, which can spin at over 30,000 rpm, providing an output of up to 777 horsepower—the highest in the world out of a single motor—and it all comes together through a new generation of silicon carbide power chips.
Single-motor rear-wheel drive vehicles built on the new platform will deliver 671 hp, and dual motors will pair the new high-performance motor with a smaller 308 hp unit driving the front wheels for a combined output of 1,084 hp.
This enables the Han L sedan and Tang L SUV to rocket to 62 mph (100 km/h) from a standstill in just 2.7 and 3.6 seconds, respectively, with top speeds reaching 190 mph and 170 mph.
The launch of the Super e-Platform sounds like it could mark a turning point in the electric car industry when charging an EV is as convenient as refueling your gas car. BYD needs to deliver on its promise to have an extensive network of one-megawatt chargers to actually allow users to reap the benefits.
BYD clearly wants to assert itself as not only a sales leader in the EV world but also a tech pioneer, and it’s addressing one of buyers’ biggest concerns.
Bloomberg notes that the new platform announcement is already having a positive effect on the company’s stock prices, which went up by 6%.
