BYD amazed everyone with its rapid-charging capabilities. A chief executive from an opposing charging network commented, "Speed isn’t everything when it comes to charging."
This month, the Chinese car manufacturer BYD stunned the global market when it boasted extremely fast charging speeds for its upcoming electric vehicles BYD claims that these vehicles can handle up to 1,000 kilowatts of charging power—which is roughly four times the capacity of an average Tesla—resulting in charge times as brief as five minutes for a range of 250 miles.
For many years, it has been evident that electric vehicles (EVs) require quicker charging times to attract more customers. However, according to Andrew Cornelia, CEO of Mercedes-Benz High-Power Charging, a duration of five minutes might be excessive. during an interview on the InsideEVs Plugged-In Podcast this week.
He remarked, 'This represents an incredible advancement. The sector will undoubtedly take notice.' However, he added, 'It’s important to remember that quicker isn’t necessarily superior.'
Today, most mainstream EVs take anywhere from 15 to 40 minutes to gain a significant amount of charge at a powerful enough DC fast-charging station. We're talking enough energy for a couple hundred miles of highway driving on a road trip. Cornelia says that developing faster-charging cars is key, but that the industry is actually a lot closer to the sweet spot than it seems.
"Do we need to charge in five minutes? The answer is probably no, because actually the average dwell time for filling up your gas tank is about 10 to 12 minutes," he said. "So that's actually the number that we're solving for.”
Mercedes Fast-Charging Stations
That makes sense. It may only take three or five minutes to fill a gas tank, but people often wind up grabbing a coffee or some scratchers too. (This leads to what is, in my opinion, the unforgivable act of parking your car at the pump. But that's another story.)
Moreover, he argues, people are thinking about charging times all wrong. It's not about making charging as fast as possible all the time—but rather making the charging time fit the stop or activity you're doing. After all, a big pro of EVs is that they can be plugged in and sucking up juice whenever they're parked, whether that's for five minutes or five hours.
He argues that 1,000 kilowatts of charging power would be impractical for a residential garage since vehicles will typically remain stationary for extended periods regardless.
"If you show up at a movie theater, you still don't need 1,000-kilowatt charging. You need something that matches a two-hour dwell time," he said. "If you show up at a coffee shop, maybe you want something faster, but still it's a 15-minute stop to go in and out."
According to Cornelia, "five-minute charging is really practical for only a specific set of applications."
Mercedes-Benz Charging Hub at the headquarters of Mercedes-Benz USA in Sandy Springs, Georgia.
Of course, Mercedes-Benz High-Power Charging is still focused on making charging stops as quick and painless as possible. It deploys 400-kW stalls, which dispense more than enough power for almost any EV sold in the U.S.
Moreover, as Cornelia suggests in her point, the company prioritizes installing charging stations at spots where drivers can engage in activities while their vehicles charge. They've formed partnerships with establishments such as Starbucks and large retailers like Buc-ee's.
Nevertheless, Cornelia noted that BYD's declaration serves as a striking mic drop moment, highlighting the substantial promise of EV charging for the future.
He emphasized that it’s crucial to spread the word about how charging can theoretically provide power at this level and speed for specific scenarios. However, these aren’t the typical situations people usually encounter.
Received an insider scoop on the electric vehicle sector? Reach out to the author: Tim.Levin@InsideEVs.com
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