BYD Malaysia confirms plans for 1.5 MW flash charging stations, offering 10-97% charge in nine minutes for compatible EVs.
BYD Malaysia has confirmed plans to introduce its Megawatt Flash Charging technology to Malaysia, with the deployment currently in the research and planning stage.
Speaking to Malaysian media, BYD Malaysia said the plan is to bring in a network of Flash Charging stations in phases, rather than just a single charger. The technology is still at an early stage, including in China, but BYD Malaysia said the direction is clear, with ultra-fast charging seen as one of the ways to reduce one of the biggest pain points of EV ownership.
Initial deployment is expected to focus on selected BYD and Denza showrooms and service centres, before expanding to more public locations as the ecosystem develops.
According to BYD Malaysia, the company is currently studying several implementation areas, including charging tariff mechanisms, payment system integration, mobile app integration and the overall user experience. It is also looking at collaborations with government agencies, local authorities, charging operators and other partners.
The key figure being quoted for BYD’s second-generation Megawatt Flash Charging system is a maximum charging power of 1,500 kW, or 1.5 MW. The system uses a 1,000V architecture and up to 1,000A of charging current, working together with battery energy storage systems.
For compatible BYD models using the required technology, BYD says the system can charge from 10 to 70% in around five minutes at room temperature, adding approximately 400 km of range. Charging from 10 to 97% is said to take around nine minutes.
However, these figures do not apply to every EV. BYD Malaysia clarified that the five-minute and nine-minute charging claims are meant for vehicles that have the hardware and battery technology to accept that level of charging power.
In other words, if a regular EV is plugged into a Megawatt Flash Charger, it will only charge at the maximum rate supported by that vehicle. For example, if an EV is limited to 220 kW DC charging, it will still only charge at up to 220 kW, even when connected to a much faster Flash Charging station.
BYD Malaysia also said the plan is for the charging network to be open, not limited only to BYD vehicles. The company pointed to China, where Flash Charging stations can be used by vehicles from other brands, subject to compatibility and the maximum charging capability of each vehicle.
This means non-BYD EVs may be able to use the chargers in the future, but they will not necessarily get the full Megawatt Flash Charging speeds unless their platform and battery system can support it.
BYD Malaysia also clarified that previous or existing models cannot simply be upgraded through software to support the full Flash Charging capability. The highest charging speeds require the right vehicle hardware, including the appropriate battery and high-voltage architecture.
The company has not revealed specific locations, pricing, payment methods or an official launch timeline for Malaysia’s first Flash Charging stations.
