Chinese automaker BYD has started operating its first commercial flash-charging station in Germany, advancing a broader plan to deploy 3,000 ultra-fast charging sites across Europe by the end of 2026. The site uses BYD’s second-generation flash-charging hardware, which can deliver up to 1,500 kW from its core architecture.
This German installation follows a demonstration in Paris in April, where BYD introduced its Blade Battery 2.0 and Flash Charging 2.0 systems. The technology pairs high-power charging equipment with battery cells designed for rapid charge acceptance. On compatible vehicles, the system can recharge from 10% to 70% state of charge in about five minutes, and from 10% to 97% in roughly nine minutes. Even at temperatures as low as –30°C, charging times increase by only about three minutes compared with standard conditions.
The German launch is part of BYD’s international charging strategy, which calls for 6,000 flash-charging stations outside China by the end of 2026, with half of those located in Europe. Domestically, BYD had deployed more than 6,100 flash-charging stations across over 300 cities by late May, including high-altitude sites near Mount Everest in Tibet. A recent cooperation agreement with Sinopec is expected to accelerate this rollout using China’s largest fuel-station network.
In parallel with its charging infrastructure push, BYD is expanding its premium Denza brand in Europe. Denza opened its first dedicated German showroom in Hamburg in June and plans about 40 stores in Germany by the end of 2026. The brand aims to introduce eight models across Europe by the end of 2027. Strong domestic performance of flash-charging-equipped vehicles supported Denza’s momentum, with cumulative deliveries exceeding 500,000 units in May and 10,638 vehicles delivered in April 2026—a 57.3% increase from March.
BYD’s infrastructure and sales growth coincide with continued global expansion. In May 2026, the company sold 383,453 new-energy vehicles, pushing cumulative NEV sales above 16.5 million units. Overseas passenger vehicle and pickup sales reached a record 160,177 units in May, up 80.7% year-on-year. In Europe, BYD reported sales exceeding 120,000 vehicles during the first four months of 2026, reflecting its evolution from an importer to an operator of charging, sales, and service infrastructure in the region.
Source: Car News China
