► BYD to rollout own network of chargers in UK in 2026
► Open to all brands but easier access for BYD
► UK R&D centre also confirmed
BYD has confirmed it is rolling out its own-brand network of high-power electric car chargers in the UK from next year, with 300 planned before the end of 2026.
While the firm had already confirmed its ‘MegaWatt Flash Charging’ network on a global level, this is its first confirmation of BYD’s plans for a Tesla-esque charging network of its own in the UK.
Britain is increasingly becoming one of BYD’s most important global markets, with its sales in September 2025 being the largest outside of China. As a result, it’s gaining more influence among the Chinese automotive giant.
Speaking at the launch event of BYD’s new Atto 2 plug-in hybrid, Stella Li, executive vice president of BYD said one of its biggest priorities for the UK was ‘heavily investing in EV charging’.
Li said: ‘Our target is that we will put in 300 fast chargers into the UK before the end of next year. Driving in the UK is a very enjoyable trip, so then [with this charging] you will be able to drive all the way.
‘Along the highways we will install fast chargers, you will have freedom to drive a BYD around the whole island. This is a big investment.’
Earlier in the year BYD confirmed its one megawatt (1mW) chargers, more than doubling the fastest EV chargers currently offered in the UK, and they’ll be known as ‘Flash Charging’.
None of BYD’s current cars are ready for such rapid charging speeds, but next year will see it launch the premium Denza brand in the UK, which will bring big advancements in technology and electrical architectures. The 1mW charger will be enabled by cars using BYD’s upcoming super e-Platform.
Li confirmed that, unlike Tesla’s Supercharger network, which was initially only available to drivers of the American EVs,, BYD’s network would be available to all EVs, but it would only really be beneficial for BYD’s cars to use.
‘We will be open to all brands because it’s standardised charging, but the problem is other cars will not be able to go there for the five-minute charging, they will be limited by their cars’ power, so they will waste their time on them,’ said Li.
The new Super e-Platform is said to offer peak DC charging speeds of 1000kW – more than double the fastest rival charging platform and BYD claims it could add 249 miles (400km) of range in just five minutes. That’s a breakthrough that would ease one of the primary concerns for electric vehicle owners — long charging times.
BYD Super e-Platform: how does it work?
To achieve these charging speeds, BYD has developed a suite of advanced technologies in its latest EV architecture for future models. These include batteries capable of handling a 10C charging rate — allowing them to charge at 10x their capacity per hour — along with high-power motors, high-voltage silicon carbide power chips and fast chargers that support up to 1000 kW of power.
According to Reuters, Chinese EV manufacturers are utilising fast-charging tech as a key selling point to entice buyers and ‘such technologies have been credited to contributing to the high adoption of EVs in China.’
Achieving a 1000kW peak charge rate is the holy grail: a ‘megawatt’ of power, meaning that 2km (1.2 miles) of range is added every second, according to BYD. The charger itself is unusually compact, taking up just 1.5sq m, and it comes with two plugs per pod.
The race for faster EV charging
BYD’s new charging technology positions the company ahead of many competitors in the EV market, with its charging speeds leapfrogging the 500 kW capability of Tesla’s latest Supercharger V4. This dramatic reduction in charging times could provide the Chinese manufacturer with a significant edge, addressing one of the key hurdles for widespread electric vehicle adoption: the time it takes to recharge.
Li previously told CAR: ‘We have two cars that will have the feature, but it will take several years for the chargers to arrive.’
BYD’s current UK line-up — the Dolphin, Atto 3, Seal, and Seal U — still runs on the existing e-Platform 3.0, which supports batteries up to 82.5kWh and charging speeds of up to 150kW. New models are arriving thick and fast, with the introduction of Denza models likely to represent a next step in platform technology.
The new models debuting the hypercharger tech are the revised Han L saloon and Tang L SUV. They are due to launch in China later in 2025.
BYD to establish new R&D Centre in the UK
BYD has already confirmed a UK R&D centre, although where and when it will open are currently unknown. It will come as part of what BYD calls its ‘next strategy’, which will see it scaling up its localisation efforts in the next three to five years.
‘If the market is here, you need to produce here,’ said Li.
While a UK manufacturing base is unlikely, BYD is preparing to open its first European factory in 2026, delayed from