BYD’s new strategy: billions of euros in infrastructure for electric cars

The Chinese car manufacturer BYD plans to invest about €2 billion in the development of ultra-fast charging infrastructure in Europe. It is about creating a network of stations designed to support the company’s “instant charging” technology, which will be used in new generations of the company’s electric cars.

Large-scale development of the charging network

As part of the program, BYD plans to install about 3,000 charging stations in Europe by 2027. The company pays special attention to Great Britain, where approximately 600 infrastructure facilities should appear.

At the same time, the internal network in China is developing – by the end of 2026, about 20,000 chargers are planned to be launched there. According to the company’s estimates, the construction of one station costs approximately €580,000, which is due to the high technological complexity and requirements for the power system.

Ultra-fast charging technology

The new infrastructure is designed to work with batteries of the latest generation, which BYD introduces in its models. The company claims that the technology significantly reduces the time it takes to charge an electric car.

Some models are able to charge up to 70% in about five minutes, and a full charge can take about 12 minutes even at low temperatures. The premium brand Denza is the first to receive such technology, including the Z9GT model, the price of which starts at approximately 115,000 euros. In the future, the system is planned to be extended to more affordable cars.

Energy model and network load

BYD notes that the charging stations will use energy accumulators that are filled at night at lower rates. This should reduce the load on the power grid during peak hours and increase the stability of the infrastructure.

The company also believes that the development of ultra-fast charging can eliminate one of the key barriers to the mass transition to electric cars – the long waiting time for charging.

Regulatory difficulties of implementation

Despite the scale of the plans, the main obstacle to the rapid development of the network remains the process of obtaining permits from local authorities in European countries. The company emphasizes that it is technically ready for the accelerated launch of the infrastructure, but the timing largely depends on regulatory procedures.