Charge Your EV in Five Minutes? BYD Says It’s Now Possible
Published: March 18th, 2025.
While Tesla continues to make headlines for all the wrong reasons—vandalism, protests, public backlash—Chinese EV giant BYD has quietly made some big moves. And their latest announcement? It could shake up the entire electric vehicle game.
BYD unveiled their new “Super e-Platform,” and their bold claim is that you can charge your EV in just five minutes. That’s right—BYD says this tech can deliver nearly 250 miles of range faster than it takes to pump gas. And the market responded fast. BYD shares soared over 6% after the announcement, marking their highest level in a year.
If true, this is exactly the kind of breakthrough the EV world has been waiting for. Fast charging has always been one of the biggest barriers keeping people from switching. Tesla’s Superchargers are fast (around 500 kilowatts), but BYD is doubling that speed—1,000 kilowatts. It’s a clear play to eliminate range anxiety for good.
For all its market dominance, Tesla faces increasing challenges at home. In the past few months, it’s not just about Elon Musk’s controversies—there’ve been acts of vandalism, arson at dealerships, and a noticeable wave of consumer backlash. Some Tesla owners publicly express buyer’s remorse, distancing themselves from the brand.
In the middle of that, BYD is over in China, rolling out tech that could change how we think about EV ownership. With this new ultra-fast charging capability, they plan to launch their Han L sedan and Tang L SUV and are setting up more than 4,000 fast-charging stations across China to support it.
BYD doesn’t currently sell cars in the U.S. market, and the previous administration’s 2024 rule banning Chinese hardware and software in connected vehicles is a huge hurdle. But breakthroughs like this could force U.S. automakers to rethink their strategies or risk falling behind.
Familiar faces dominated the U.S. EV scene last year. In 2024, the U.S. EV market was dominated by models like the Tesla Model Y, Model 3, and Cybertruck, alongside competitors such as the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Ford F-150 Lightning, and Hyundai IONIQ 5.
BYD’s name wasn’t even on the list, but with tech like five-minute charging, how long will it be until U.S. consumers start asking, “Why not?”
Sure, regulations might keep BYD and other Chinese automakers out of the U.S., but American EV makers must step it up. If Chinese automakers set new benchmarks abroad, you can bet consumers here will expect similar performance soon.
The bottom line? Whether or not BYD’s five-minute claim holds up in the real world, the message is clear—the EV race isn’t slowing down. And with Tesla grappling with its image crisis, now might be the perfect time for competitors to level up.