BYD aims to be the world's largest automaker within five years, challenging Toyota. The Chinese company plans significant investment in Europe for battery tech and charging infrastructure, with new plants in Hungary. BYD also faces scrutiny in the US and EU over labor and environmental practices.
Chinese battery makers including CALB, EVE Energy and Sunwoda unveiled ultra-fast charging technology at the Beijing auto show, enabling 10-70% charges in under 10 minutes. Nio demonstrated a 3-minute battery swap, while BYD and CATL announced similar capabilities, intensifying competition to match petrol car refueling times.
CATL unveiled its third-generation Shenxing lithium-iron phosphate battery at a tech event in China, achieving record-breaking charging speeds. The battery can charge from 10 to 98 percent in just 6 minutes 27 seconds, and from 10 to 80 percent in 3 minutes 44 seconds. Even at -22°F (-30°C), it reaches 98 percent in 9 minutes, significantly outperforming BYD's Blade Battery 2.0.
iQoo set to launch Z9 Turbo with 1.5K display, Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chipset, 6000mAh battery, 144Hz refresh rate, 50MP dual camera, 80W fast charging at Rs 19,999.
