BYD announced plans to install 300 ultra-rapid flash chargers across the UK this year, bringing its groundbreaking 1000kW charging technology to British drivers for the first time.
Bono Ge, the Chinese automaker’s UK country director, confirmed the ambitious rollout will support the launch of BYD’s premium Denza brand later this year.
Ge said he hopes the network will help reduce charging costs for EV drivers – but emphasized that government action is needed to make public charging more affordable.
Megawatt Charging Arrives
BYD first demonstrated its flash charging technology in China in early 2025 before confirming European expansion in June. The system works with BYD’s Super-E platform and 10C battery to deliver up to one megawatt of power.
That’s enough to add 1.2 miles of range per second.
Or 250 miles in just five minutes.
Most ultra-rapid chargers currently offer peak power of 350kW – and only a handful of cars can actually use that full capacity.
Initially, only EVs from Denza will take full advantage of the megawatt charging thanks to their next-generation platform. The network launch coincides with that brand’s UK arrival later this year with the high-performance Z9GT.
Although only Denza models will charge at the full 1,000kW, Ge said the chargers will be open to all EV owners.
“Not every car can achieve one megawatt. That’s really regarding your battery pack on the car, but the charger is universal. Everyone can use the charger.”
He added that BYD and Denza owners will likely get discounted charging rates – similar to how Tesla owners receive cut-price charging on the Supercharger network.
Multiple Partnership Routes
Ge told journalists that BYD is in discussions with various partners to decide on the best locations for the chargers.
“At the moment we are thinking about three different roads. First, we would like to work with some CPOs [chargepoint operators]; secondly, we’ll be working with the dealers. And thirdly, we have some partners we are already in discussion with, for example, the chain supermarkets as well as some rental companies.”
He noted that rental companies are electrifying their fleets and typically have prime locations near airports and train stations – ideal spots for public chargers.
BYD hopes the flash charging network can cut costs through technology, including energy storage solutions.
“One of the reasons for the flash charging network is to get the charging price reasonable, not more expensive. That’s not what we want.”
Government Action Needed
While BYD is working on technical solutions to reduce costs, Ge believes government intervention is essential to make public charging more manageable.
He described the UK’s charging landscape as “unique” in Europe, highlighting the massive price gap between home and public charging.
“You can benefit from 7p/kWh [tariffs] if you charge from home. But if you go to the motorway, you need to pay 79p to 89p/kWh. So we believe there must be some room to try to reduce the cost because one big barrier for the UK customer is the charging cost.”
“The purchase costs are actually quite reasonable. But if you only rely on public chargers, not a lot of people can afford to use electric cars.”
Ge argued that current high prices are creating a vicious cycle – inhibiting network use and making it harder for chargepoint operators to invest in infrastructure or lower prices.
He called for government intervention, arguing that lower prices would improve utilization rates, helping the network develop and enabling more drivers to go electric.
His comments echo demands from other industry leaders who’ve backed calls to reduce VAT and standing charges on public charging networks. Recent reports suggest the Treasury is examining cutting VAT on public charging from 20% to 5% – bringing it in line with domestic rates.
