BYD plans megawatt charging network for electric cars in Europe

BYD Vice President Stella Li revealed to journalists in Brussels that BYD also wants to build a network of megawatt charging stations for electric cars in Europe. The Chinese automotive giant already operates a growing network of megawatt chargers for electric cars in China.

Li did not provide any information on the number of megawatt chargers that BYD is planning in Europe. In China, BYD has just announced new partnerships to expand its network of megawatt charging stations beyond the 4,000 units planned to date by a further 15,000. According to CNEV Post, the first megawatt chargers in China are already connected to the grid with 500 units over “more than 200 cities”.

The company’s megawatt charging network for electric cars in China was first announced in March ahead of the launch of BYD’s Han L and Tang L electric cars, which the company says are capable of charging within five minutes with its megawatt chargers. Both models are selling well in both China and Europe.

In Europe, Li revealed, BYD’s sales are up 10 per cent every month. She said if business continues to go well, BYD will build more production sites on the continent in the future. “We are going to build in Europe to sell in Europe. We are looking at the long term. We are here to stay,” Li said. The CEO of the Warren Buffett-backed global automotive heavyweight stated that BYD plans to set up the network within the next twelve months.

Megawatt charging is not without drawbacks and is generally targeted by heavy-duty long-haul transport for which fast charging is a matter of existential importance.

In April this year, Car News China wrote that “BYD has acknowledged the potential strain megawatt charging could cause on the power grid.” Megawatt chargers cannot just be installed anywhere and require significant electrical power to operate at full capacity. This significantly increases grid load, a factor that means the promised speed is not always possible. According to Car News China, real-world experiences for electric car drivers do not always match the advertised charging speeds for this reason. The Chinese publication reported in April that even vehicles marketed as being capable of charging 80% in 15 minutes generally require closer to 30 minutes or longer in practical scenarios.

The company will install its charging stations at dealerships and is already in exploratory talks with local partners.

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