EVs could be charged as fast as filling a petrol car after breakthrough
Electric vehicle (EV) owners could soon charge their cars in the same time it takes to fill up a petrol tank after an apparent breakthrough by BYD, a Chinese rival to Tesla.
China's largest EV maker has unveiled a new fast-charging system that it claims can provide a full charge for a car battery within five to eight minutes.
Wang Chuanfu, the BYD chairman and founder, said the new technology would address 'users' anxiety over charging' and was an important step in 'our pursuit is to make the charging time for EVs as short as the refuelling time for fuel vehicles'.
BYD's system is more than twice as fast as Tesla's superchargers, which can add a range of up to 170 miles in 15 minutes. The new BYD fast-charger provided a range of 292 miles during tests with the company's Han L sedan, according to Mr Wang.
The advance could herald the end of so-called charge rage, where drivers become frustrated by the long waiting time to refuel their EVs. Anger has prompted some motorway service stations to employ marshals to keep the peace as drivers queue for access to Britain's 73,000 charging points.
The announcement sent shares in BYD up more than 6pc to a record high on Tuesday, while Tesla dropped 4.8pc.
The breakthrough heightens the rivalry between the two companies, which compete for the title of biggest EV company in the world. BYD edged ahead of Tesla in production last year, making 1,777,965 battery-powered EVs compared with Tesla's 1,773,443.
BYD also overtook Tesla in British sales for the first time last month. Sales grew by 500pc in the year to January, compared to an 8pc drop for Tesla, which has faced a backlash over Elon Musk's close ties to Donald Trump. Shares in Tesla are down 50pc since their peak in December.
BYD's charging speeds of 1,000 kilowatt (kW) for its new 'Super e-Platform' are twice as fast as the 500 kW offered by Tesla's latest charger. The Chinese company plans to install more than 4,000 of the new stations across its home market.
While BYD's system is faster, Tesla has a much larger network of more than 65,000 superchargers around the world.
The new charging architecture will be initially available for BYD's two new EVs: the Han L sedan and Tang L SUV, which are priced from 270,000 yuan (£28,700).
Lei Xing, a China motoring analyst, said BYD was 'elevating the game to another dimension'.
James Court of Octopus Electric Vehicles said: 'The Chinese EV market is growing at a staggering rate.
'Their relentless focus on investment in new technology is breaking down barriers for drivers making the switch to cleaner, cheaper driving.'
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