Chinese EV giant BYD appears poised to unveil a record-breaking 1,500-kw flash charger later this week, reports Car News China.
Observers have spotted BYD running internal tests of its megawatt-level Flash Charging system in Shenzhen, onsite participants sharing images of the demonstration station near the company headquarters.
A striking turquoise shade and T-shaped design makes the charger stand out from the crowd. Overhead cables hang down to accommodate a wider variety of vehicles, while also preventing damage that can occur when cables are dropped on the ground. Previously leaked nameplate images indicated a peak output rating of up to 1,500 kW and current capability of 1,500 A, built on a 1,000-V electrical architecture.
Use of the Flash Charging system appears to be limited to vehicles capable of handling over 1,000 kW of input power – like the Tang 9, Song Ultra, Seal 07, Denza Z9 GT and FCB Tai-series, which bear a “Flash Charge” rear badge.
Early users have also shared screenshots of the dedicated Flash Charging app, indicating that it’s already live on Android. It allows drivers to easily locate nearby stations while also supporting automatic plug-and charge activation. Users report charging beginning within about 10 seconds of plugging in and automatically stopping at 97 percent.
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Early reports indicate buyers of Flash Charging-compatible vehicles could receive up to 1,000 kWh of free electricity per year, although details on eligibility and implementation have not been confirmed. Preliminary pricing revealed at the Shenzhen test site, which shows a rate of 1.3 yuan per kWh, is competitive for ultra-fast megawatt-level charging – particularly when compared with traditional public chargers.
Most public DC fast chargers across the country operate between 250 and 600 kW, while Tesla’s V4 Superchargers in China deliver up to 500 kW of peak power for passenger vehicles. At 1,500 kW, BYD’s Flash Charging marks a significant leap – capable of adding more than 2 kilometres of range per second, offering refuelling times comparable to gas-powered vehicles.
The company plans to build more than 4,000 self-operated Flash Charging stations in China this year. Partnerships with Xiaoju Charging and other providers could push the total number of stations beyond 15,000.BYD is expected to officially unveil the second-generation megawatt flash charging system on Thursday, alongside the Blade Battery 2.0, the DM 6.0 hybrid system, and more.
