How BYD plans to make EV charging as fast as filling a gas tank

Chinese auto maker BYD made waves this week when it announced its new Han L sedan could add as much as 248 miles of range in as little as five minutes. Unfortunately, the company was light on details, and it did not respond to TechCrunch’s request for clarification. So instead, we’ve scoured the web for information, filling in the gaps to determine exactly how BYD was able to make an EV that apparently can recharge as quickly as it takes to refill a gas car. What we found mostly supports the auto makers claims, with a few caveats. Battery pack Central to the Han L’s fast charging is its internal electrical infrastructure. It starts with the battery, which according to CarNewsChina citing regulatory documents, is an 83.2 kWh lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) pack that operates at 945 volts. (In its marketing materials, the company appears to have rounded up and lists it at 1,000 volts). The battery chemistry is likely central to the car’s fast charging capability. LFP batteries have lon ... Read full article.