Chinese car manufacturer BYD wants to build a network of ultra-fast charging stations for electric vehicles, known as ‘flash chargers’, in Europe. Executive vice president Stella Li announced this during a conversation with journalists in Brussels on Tuesday.
In China, BYD already sells electric vehicles equipped with batteries that can recharge up to 400 kilometers of range in just 5 minutes. On Tuesday, the Chinese company announced it wants to build a network of ultra-fast charging points to support these cars in Europe.
The ultra-fast chargers use a 1,000-volt architecture, enabling recharge times comparable to refueling a gasoline-powered car. The system also lets cars with older battery technology charge 20 to 30 per cent faster.
«This will be a game changer that will boost consumer confidence in electric driving,» Li said. BYD aims to build the network within the next 12 months. It will install its own charging points at dealerships and is already in exploratory talks with local partners.
Market leader ambitions
The network is part of BYD’s aim to become a leading player in the European market by 2030, for both fully electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. At the end of this year, the Chinese company will open a production site in Hungary. It will also establish a new R&D centre and its headquarters in Budapest.
According to Li, BYD’s sales in Europe are up 10 per cent every month. If business continues to go well, BYD will build more production sites on the continent in the future. «We are going to build in Europe to sell in Europe. We are looking at the long term. We are here to stay,» Li said.
BYD currently has 16 dealerships in Belgium. Those in Brussels, Antwerp and Ghent are under its own management. By the end of this year, the Chinese company wants to have at least 20 dealerships in the country.
PHOTO © JOEL SAGET / AFP
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