BYD, CATL, and FAW Lead the Ultra-Fast Charging Revolution: Time is Now Measured in Seconds
The Chinese automotive industry has entered a new era. For years, the charging time of an electric vehicle was measured in tens of minutes—a major barrier that kept many drivers tied to diesel and gasoline.
In 2026, that reality is firmly in the rearview mirror. Chinese manufacturers are no longer competing to reduce charging time from one hour to half an hour; they are competing for seconds.
The race for ultra-fast charging has turned China into the global laboratory for electromobility, with batteries capable of going from 10% to 80% capacity in less than four minutes and charging systems reaching power levels of 1,500 kW —matching electric charging times to those of conventional refueling.
The message is unmistakable: China no longer measures charging time in minutes; it measures it in seconds. And what is happening in the Asian giant is not an isolated phenomenon but rather the announcement of a paradigm shift that will redefine electric mobility on a global scale.
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BYD: 9 Minutes to Charge from 10% to 97%
The starting gun was fired in March 2026 by BYD. The Chinese manufacturer unveiled its second-generation Blade Battery (Blade Battery 2.0) alongside its Flash Charging system—a charging platform that delivers 1,500 kW per charging port.
The results are extraordinary: with this combination, a vehicle can charge from 10% to 70% in just five minutes and reach 97% capacity in nine minutes. Even in extreme conditions of -30°C, charging from 20% to 97% is completed in approximately twelve minutes.
The battery, based on lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) technology, has increased its energy density by 5% compared to the first generation, enabling ranges exceeding 1,000 kilometers under the Chinese CLTC test cycle.
But BYD has not limited itself to battery technology. The company has deployed a large-scale infrastructure strategy: by March 2026, it had already installed 4,239 Flash Charging stations across China, with the goal of reaching 20,000 stations by the end of the year.
In the company’s own words, this is “Flash Charging China, changing the world”—a statement of intent that reflects the manufacturer’s ambition to lead the global energy transition.
CATL: Shenxing Sets New Records
Battery giant CATL has not been left behind. At its “Super Tech Day” in April 2026, the company unveiled the third generation of its Shenxing ultra-fast charging battery , a technology that has set new industry benchmarks.
The third-generation Shenxing offers a charging rate equivalent to 10C and reaches peaks of 15C (compared to 1C or 2C for a conventional battery), meaning it absorbs charge at a speed ten times higher than a standard battery.
The charging times are nothing short of revolutionary: from 10% to 35% in just 1 minute , from 10% to 80% in 3 minutes and 44 seconds , and from 10% to 98% in just 6 minutes and 27 seconds.
Even in extreme conditions of -30°C, the battery maintains exceptional performance, expanding its applicability to cold-climate regions. CATL announced that mass production of this battery is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2026.
But CATL has not stopped there. In July of this year, the company launched the Tianxing II (Tectrans II) battery for light commercial vehicles, with an 8C charging rate that allows reaching 80% in 6 minutes and 48 seconds and full charge in 8 minutes and 56 seconds.
This battery, designed specifically for the logistics sector, reduces the internal resistance of its cells by 50% below the industry average and offers a 10-year or 1-million-kilometer warranty. CATL plans to install 4,000 ultra-fast charging stations in nearly 190 Chinese cities during 2026, with a medium-term goal of 10,000 stations.
FAW and Hongqi: 3 Minutes and 41 Seconds—The New Industry Record
State-owned FAW Group , through its luxury brand Hongqi and in collaboration with battery manufacturer Lishen Battery , has achieved what may be the most impressive record to date. In performance tests conducted at 25°C, the jointly developed battery managed to charge from 10% to 70% in 3 minutes and 41 seconds —the fastest time recorded so far for a Chinese passenger EV battery.
The battery reaches a peak charging rate of 12C , surpassing Geely ‘s Golden Brick battery, which achieved the same range in 4 minutes and 22 seconds. Additionally, Hongqi’s battery charges from 10% to 97% in 8 minutes and 3 seconds , ahead of Geely’s 8 minutes and 42 seconds.
The secret to this speed lies in several key innovations:
- A high-efficiency ultra-fast charging anode
- A self-developed electrolyte with low desolvation energy that reduces the energy barrier lithium ions must overcome
- Carbon coating modification and bulk doping techniques that reduce internal resistance by 15% compared to cells without these modifications
Thermal management is one of the biggest challenges in 12C charging. Hongqi’s battery incorporates an intelligent uniform-temperature liquid cooling system that maintains a temperature difference across the entire battery pack of less than 3°C during fast charging, along with a real-time adaptive charging strategy that monitors temperature rise and dynamically adjusts the power curve.
Geely, Lynk & Co, Gotion High-Tech, and Dongfeng
Geely , through its Lynk & Co brand, was one of the first to demonstrate that charging in a matter of minutes was possible. Its Golden Brick battery achieves charging from 10% to 70% in 4 minutes and 22 seconds —a time that, although surpassed by the latest announcements, remains extraordinary. In certified tests, the battery reached a peak charging power of 1,093 kW.
Battery manufacturer Gotion High-Tech joined the competition with its second-generation G-Instant battery , unveiled in May 2026. This battery, also based on LFP technology, supports a maximum charge of 12C and can charge from 10% to 80% in just 4.9 minutes , and from 10% to 97% in 8.7 minutes. Gotion is in the mass production preparation phase, with a projected launch for the first quarter of 2027.
State-owned manufacturer Dongfeng also entered the race with a 1,500 kW per-gun charging system , matching the capacity announced by BYD. The system architecture starts from a main unit with 1.2 MW, designed to support configurations that can reach 2.4 MW of combined power. Dongfeng is already working on a new generation of chargers that will incorporate energy storage, with a family of equipment covering power levels from 720 kW to 2.4 MW.
Infrastructure: The Other Pillar of the Revolution
Ultra-fast charging would not be possible without adequate infrastructure. Chinese companies are deploying high-power charging networks at an unprecedented speed.
BYD plans to have 20,000 Flash Charging stations operational in China by the end of 2026. CATL will deploy 4,000 stations in 190 cities. Geely and Dongfeng have also launched 1,500 kW charging systems.
In global figures, China had more than 21 million charging points by the end of February 2026—a 47.8% increase from the previous year, according to China’s National Energy Administration. The country has set a goal of reaching a national network of 28 million charging facilities.
While China leads this revolution, the rest of the world watches from a distance. In the United States, the fastest-charging vehicles—based on Hyundai/Kia’s E-GMP platform—take about 18 minutes to charge from 10% to 80%. Europe has advanced somewhat further, with 400 kW chargers already operational and 600 kW stations beginning to be deployed, but still far from Chinese standards.
The difference is not only technological but also economic. Chinese vehicles with ultra-fast charging capabilities have prices below €25,000 , while a vehicle with similar performance in Europe easily exceeds €100,000.
The Challenge: Speed vs Durability
The race for charging speed is not without challenges—the primary one being the balance between charging speed and battery lifespan.
High temperatures generated during fast charging can accelerate cell degradation, so the industry has identified 70°C as the critical threshold : above that temperature, lithium hexafluorophosphate—a key electrolyte component—begins to decompose rapidly.
Manufacturers claim to have solved this problem through innovations in materials and cooling systems. CATL has managed to reduce the internal resistance of its cells by 50% below the industry average. FAW maintains temperature differences of less than 3°C across the entire battery pack during fast charging. And Gotion offers a version of its battery with a 12-year unlimited-mileage warranty and over 4,000 charging cycles.
Additionally, China has implemented mandatory regulations effective July 1, 2026, requiring batteries that charge from 20% to 80% in less than 15 minutes to pass safety tests after 300 fast-charging cycles , without fires or explosions occurring.
The Ultra-Fast Charging Leaders in China
| Company / Technology | Charge Rate | Time 10%→70% | Time 10%→80% | Time 10%→97%/98% | Charging Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FAW Hongqi + Lishen | 12C | 3 min 41 s | — | 8 min 03 s | — |
| CATL Shenxing 3G | 10C / peak 15C | — | 3 min 44 s | 6 min 27 s | — |
| BYD Blade 2.0 | — | 5 min | — | 9 min | 1,500 kW |
| Gotion G-Instant 2G | 12C | — | 4.9 min | 8.7 min | — |
| Geely Golden Brick | — | 4 min 22 s | — | 8 min 42 s | 1,093 kW |
| CATL Tianxing II | 8C | — | 6 min 48 s | 8 min 56 s | — |
What is happening in China is not a simple incremental improvement—it is a complete redefinition of what electric mobility means.
China has established a new global standard. Charging time is no longer measured in minutes, but in seconds , and the rest of the world will have to catch up. The question is no longer whether electromobility is the future, but who will lead that transition. And for now, the answer is clear: China.
A Year 2026 of Consolidation for Mobility
The Latam Mobility 2026 Tour will arrive in Santiago, Chile, on August 25, bringing together experts and strategic players to further strengthen the sustainable mobility ecosystem in the region.
The tour will end in Mexico City on October 12 and 13, alongside the Climate Economy Forum, in a meeting that will bring together sector leaders to continue driving the transition toward more efficient, sustainable, low‑emission transportation systems in Latin America.
The transition is already underway. The Latam Mobility 2026 Tour will be the meeting point to accelerate decisions, connect key players, and collaboratively build sustainable mobility in Latin America.
