400 km in 5 Minutes:Is BYD's 10C charging reliable？

The pain point of "poor charging experience" for pure electric vehicles seems to be coming to an end.

Firstly, the once cutting-edge "5C charging" is becoming widespread. XPeng's 2025 models G6 and G9 come with 5C batteries as standard. The peak charging power of the new G6 has increased from 280kW to 451kW.

In March 2025, "5C fast charging" is no longer rare, with models from brands like Lynk & Co, Zeekr, and EVE supporting it. In March 2024, the only option for "5C charging" was the Li Auto MEGA priced at 559,800 yuan.

BYD announced at a March 17 event that its new pure electric vehicles, based on the "Super e Platform," have entered the "megawatt flash charging" era, with a charging rate of 10C. Paired with BYD's 1,000kW ultra-fast charger, the peak charging power of the Han L and Tang L can exceed 1,000kW.

The rise of 5C charging and BYD’s Megawatt Flash Charging technology appear to paint a vivid picture of a brighter future for EV energy replenishment. Some even question if NIO's battery swapping will lose its edge.

But are 5C and 10C charging really that miraculous?

Charging Speed on Par with Fueling

BYD's "10C charging" is impressive. Wang Chuanfu explained that achieving this requires high voltage, high current, and dedicated chargers.

The "Super e Platform" can handle 1,000V and 1,000A. BYD plans to exclusively use this 1,000kW charging technology for some time, thanks to its self-developed "1,500V/1,000A" SiC power modules.

With these capabilities, vehicles on the "Super e Platform" can reach a peak power of 1,000kW.

BYD enhances battery performance through ion highway technology, doubling the maximum current. At the event, a Han L EV demo showed a peak power over 1,000kW, charging from 10% to 70% in 4 minutes and 45 seconds, adding 400 km in 5 minutes.

However, like other manufacturers, the highest charging power needs a proprietary charger.

Thus, BYD launched its first self-built "megawatt flash charger," outputting 1,000kW with a platform power of 1,360kW.

If a "megawatt flash charger" isn't nearby, BYD vehicles can use "dual-gun charging," a feature new to models outside the DENZA and Yangwang series. With this, the Han L and Tang L can achieve 1,000kW at third-party superchargers or 500kW at regular fast chargers via intelligent boost technology.

BYD hasn't disclosed all "megawatt flash charging" details, like the fast charging range or full charge time. Still, this technology significantly boosts charging capabilities, making electric vehicle refueling nearly as convenient as gasoline cars.

The Han L and Tang L, the first "Super e Platform" models, have pre-sale prices of 270,000-350,000 yuan and 280,000-360,000 yuan, respectively.

They will also debut the "King Hybrid DM-p," promising a storm in the B-segment market.

Are the Expectations Too High?

From 2C to 5C and now BYD's 10C, charging speeds are multiplying.Automakers seem ready to declare the end of electric vehicle range anxiety with new technologies.

However, real-world charging experiences still have shortcomings. Users who have experienced near-5C charging, like Mr. Bin with his Zeekr 007, have grievances.

Mr. Bin, a Zeekr 007 owner, was drawn by the "75kWh battery supporting 4.5C charging" claim. But after a year, he's never seen the advertised 500kW peak power. Most of the time, the charging rate doesn't reach 4.5C. In Guangzhou, Zeekr's V2 stations offer 480kW per gun, but actual peak power is around 300-320kW, closer to 4C. Third-party stations often deliver less than 200kW.

Mr. Bin views 4.5C as a bonus, not a guarantee. Most EV owners can't always enjoy high-rate fast charging, as peak power claims are often lab-tested. Mr. Bin takes a wait-and-see approach to BYD's 10C.

Chargers are a key issue. Let's look at numbers: Zeekr has 800 stations, NIO 2,610, XPeng 1,059 S4/S5 stations, and Li Auto over 1,800 by January 2025. BYD aims to build over 4,000 "megawatt flash charging" stations, which could revolutionize charging if achieved quickly. But the timeline is unclear—whether within a year or five years makes a big difference.

Initially, BYD's "megawatt flash charging" stations may be at its 4S stores, prioritizing BYD owners.

While owner-first makes sense, store chargers might be busy with store vehicles and unable to serve all EV owners. Ideal locations like shopping mall parking lots and highway service areas are yet to be covered.

Compatibility with third-party models and charging fees are also concerns. A smooth charging network is crucial, requiring time and market testing.

A Major Upgrade in Refueling Experience

As some NEV makers push charging technology, the charging vs. battery swapping debate will heat up. BYD's technology could make charging as fast as fueling, a significant进步. But battery swapping still has efficiency advantages.

From a time perspective, swapping is closer to fueling. NIO's stations take under 5 minutes, with little time variation. Charging, whether 5C or megawatt-level, needs ideal conditions, leading to inconsistent times.

Battery swapping has its own challenges, like used battery concerns and limited stations. But charging also needs improvements: reducing power loss from chargers to vehicles, optimizing power distribution, and increasing high-power charger numbers.

In summary, charging and swapping have their strengths, serving different needs. BYD's "megawatt flash charging" will enhance the EV experience. With wider 800V architecture adoption and more ultra-fast chargers, the goal of EV refueling like fueling is closer, though not fully achieved yet.