What does BYD’s megawatt charging system mean for the charging industry?

BYD has unveiled its “Super e-Platform” capable of reaching charging speeds of 1,000 kW (1 MW) making it the fastest charging platform on the market. The platform also has a max voltage capacity of 1,000V, higher than the current 400V and 800V platforms currently used. This technology sets a new benchmark for charging in the passenger vehicle market and points the direct in which the market is moving.

How does the Super e-Platform align with the rest of the vehicle industry?

Charging speeds have been getting faster each year. Rho Motion’s Charging Monthly Database shows that the sales weighted average charging speed has increased 63% over the last 5 years, as manufacturers each year have released vehicles that have faster peak DC charging speeds. To date, in China there are eight models that offer charging speeds of 500 kW and above, the fastest being Zeekr’s 009 offering a max power of 560 kW. BYD’s new platform surpasses this and is set to go into BYD’s new models the Han L and Tang L slated for release in April 2025.

Read: Are battery swapping EVs heading towards mass adoption in China?

Although BYD has jumped ahead of many other manufacturers, considering the market movements it was only a matter of time before the 1 MW milestone was reached in passenger cars.

BYD aims to future proof its technology

Rho Motion’s Charging Database shows that in 2024 ~90% of all the vehicles sold in China had max DC charging speeds of under 200 kW. Subsequently, the majority of China’s charging infrastructure reflects this, meaning when the Han L and Tang L are released there will be no megawatt chargers available for these vehicles to use.

BYD has said it plans to build more than 4,000 charging stations capable of 1 MW charging for its new platform. It has also said that it will integrate energy storage systems with these facilities to allow 1 MW in locations that have limited power capacity.

Read: What is the outlook for the US charging industry post NEVI?

Other MW charging systems will likely follow

Megawatt charging is increasingly being deployed across the bus and truck sectors, enabling faster and more efficient charging for heavy-duty electric vehicles. As this technology gains traction in commercial transport, it will move towards the passenger vehicle market. With one passenger vehicle manufacturer now offering megawatt charging capabilities, it is expected other automakers will also follow suit, however the pace at which this will happen remains to be seen.

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Source: https://rhomotion.com/news/what-does-byds-megawatt-charging-system-mean-for-the-charging-industry/