Chinese car giant BYD has announced plans to install 300 of its new ultra-fast “Flash” chargers across the UK by the end of 2026 — technology it claims can take an EV from near-empty to full in under nine minutes.
The Flash charger operates at up to 1,500 kilowatts — more than three times the capacity of the fastest public chargers currently available in the UK, which typically cap at around 350-400kW. BYD says its compatible vehicles can go from 10% to 70% charge in roughly five minutes, and from 10% to 97% in around nine minutes, even in cold weather down to -30°C.
The company showed off the technology at a demonstration in west London this week, where a connected EV visibly charged from 10% to 100% in under nine minutes. Stella Li, BYD’s Executive Vice-President, said the company had invested significantly in the UK market and that the Flash network was a major part of its long-term strategy here.
Initially, the chargers are planned for locations outside supermarkets, fast food outlets and dealerships, with 300 UK sites targeted before the end of 2026 and a further expansion to 600 locations by 2027. Across Europe, BYD is aiming for 3,000 Flash charger locations by the end of next year.
There is a practical caveat worth noting: while the chargers themselves will support this extraordinary power output, most current electric vehicles — including BYD’s own existing models — are not yet capable of accepting charge at the full 1,500kW rate. The technology is designed to work with BYD’s newest generation of high-voltage vehicles, and the benefit for other EVs will be more modest.
Still, even at reduced rates, ultra-high-power chargers dramatically cut waiting times compared with standard rapid chargers — which is good news for any driver who earns a living at the wheel and needs to top up quickly between jobs.
BYD sold around 31,500 vehicles in the UK in the first five months of 2026 — more than double the same period last year — making it one of the fastest-growing car brands in the country.
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