Adapted by:
Alberto de la Torre
WriterI've been a journalist and audiovisual communicator since 2016. My specialty is the automotive sector, where I’ve been analyzing the industry and its developments for more than five years. I'm particularly interested in new forms of mobility and the changes that cities are experiencing, especially in urban planning and the promotion of cycling and personal mobility vehicles.
Karen Alfaro
WriterCommunications professional with a decade of experience as a copywriter, proofreader, and editor. As a travel and science journalist, I've collaborated with several print and digital outlets around the world. I'm passionate about culture, music, food, history, and innovative technologies.
Recently, BYD announced that its cars can travel up to 250 miles on a five-minute charge, nearly as fast as fueling an internal combustion engine vehicle. The announcement signaled just how far ahead Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) are—especially in cost and charging technology. And within weeks, two rival proposals added fuel to the fire.
China Leads in EV Charging
When BYD introduced its ultra-fast chargers, it effectively launched a technology arms race. As if they had been preparing all along, CATL and Huawei quickly revealed their own plans following BYD’s announcement.
CATL presented its latest innovations during Tech Day in late April. The company highlighted a sodium-ion battery—one of the industry’s great hopes for lowering EV costs—that it aims to begin producing in December. CATL said the battery is especially resistant to cold, a common issue for this type of chemistry.
While the focus was on plug-in hybrid batteries offering a combined range of 930 miles (between battery and combustion engine), the standout was a new battery capable of recharging 320 miles in five minutes.
After BYD’s presentation, CATL raised the stakes with a battery system able to support 1.3 megawatt-hours of charging—slightly higher than BYD’s, which equates to 1.55 miles of range added per second.
CATL also emphasized its battery’s ability to sustain high-power charging at just 14 degrees Fahrenheit, going from 5% to 80% charge in 15 minutes. The company claimed its system can deliver 830 kilowatts (kW) of power (more than 1,000 horsepower) even when the battery is nearly depleted.
In EVs, performance can fluctuate based on the battery’s charge level. Lower levels typically reduce power output, slowing acceleration and recovery.
Like BYD’s system, CATL’s battery requires equally powerful infrastructure. BYD said it plans to deploy a network of 4,000 charging points capable of delivering up to 1,360 kW of power. These chargers use a liquid cooling system and surpass earlier charging targets even for electric trucks.
But even those specs fall short of what Huawei presented with its new line of EV chargers. The tech giant introduced plugs capable of delivering 1.5 megawatts—or 20 kWh of energy per minute. That means a compatible vehicle could add up to 310 miles of range in five minutes.
Huawei said its new chargers can maintain this power level for up to 15 minutes, making them especially useful for electric trucks. They also function in extreme temperatures—from -22 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit—and feature dynamic power management to prevent grid overloads and optimize power delivery without destabilizing the electrical system.
The downside? These chargers require substantial space for installation. Outside of a few models, like BYD’s, current EVs can’t handle this kind of power. Most of today’s fastest-charging vehicles peak between 250 and 300 kW.
Still, at those speeds, a car with a 100 kWh battery—the largest found in consumer EVs—can charge from 10% to 80% in about 14 minutes. That 70% recharge would give the vehicle about 215 real-world miles, assuming energy consumption of 20 kWh per 62 miles.
Is It Practical?
There’s debate over whether such high-capacity charging has practical value. Mercedes, for example, says current standards are more than adequate, though it acknowledges the appeal of offering cutting-edge technology to consumers.
The upgrade may not be necessary—but it reinforces a brand’s image. Competing to offer the most advanced chargers sends a clear message to customers: This brand is on the leading edge, whether or not it ever takes full advantage of the tech.
Image | CHUTTERSNAP (Unsplash)
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