We EV enthusiasts have heard it all from the haters before. “What are you gonna do with all those batteries?” “There’s just not enough range,” and, of course, “Charging takes so much longer than a gas station visit.” As previously teased, Chinese auto conglomerate BYD has introduced a new 1,000-volt EV platform that can enable charging rates as fast (or perhaps faster) than a trip to the gas station. We’re talking five minutes.
We got official confirmation from BYD this morning (evening in Shenzen, China) following a report we followed last Friday. On its Weibo page last week, Build Your Dreams (BYD) teased some capabilities of a new EV architecture it calls the “Super E-Platform,” sharing that it will enable charging parity with gas station visits.
To achieve that, BYD promised 1,000 kW charge speeds—double the current industry leaders, including Tesla. In reality, it’s tripling the standard as most fast chargers on the market can only reach about 350 kW, and many of them (in the US, at least) are usually more in the 200s.
While there are some ultra-luxe EV models powered by higher voltage platforms, 800V has been the ceiling for a while, and to be honest, most models today cannot even hit 350 kW. BYD plans to change that with its new “Super E-Platform,” which has officially been unveiled and offers 1,000V and charge rates up to 1,000 kW.
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Source: BYD/Weibo
BYD delivers charging speeds similar to gas station visits
As promised last Friday, BYD held a livestream event at its headquarters in Shenzen, China, where it officially unveiled its new 1,000V Super E-Platform, capable of charging 1MW+ (1,000 kW) rates. Per its Weibo post (translated from Chinese):
BYD officially releases flash charging battery with ultra-high voltage of 1000V, ultra-large current of 1000A and ultra-large power of 1000kW, achieving global mass production of megawatt flash charging with the highest peak charging speed of 1 second and 2 kilometers, completely solving users’ charging anxiety when traveling.
As you can see from the images detailing the new platform’s specs above, this is a 1,000-volt, 1,000-amp platform that enables charging up to 400km (249 miles) of range in a mere five minutes. As we pointed out last week, today’s event also marked the launch of BYD’s new Han L and Tang L models in China, which will utilize the new fast-charging platform.
To support future models capable of these industry-leading charging speeds, BYD plans to implement over 4,000 ultra-fast charging stations around China. However, the timeline of that rollout remains unknown to the public. You can watch BYD’s complete live stream, debuting the technology and its capabilities here.
Electrek’s take
While this technology is designed in China, for China (at least for now), BYD’s debut of the Super E-Platform is a momentous day for the EV industry. BYD has developed and delivered platform architecture that is the best in the world on paper and has proven that it is possible to deliver charging speeds that are on par with a trip to the gas station.
Charging times remain a huge hurdle for larger EV adoption, so news like this breaks a ceiling for the current industry and offers a glimpse into the future to a day when more and more electric vehicles can recharge quickly, taking one more argument away from naysayers. Bravo BYD.
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The major electric bicycle brand Velotric has just launched its newest model, the Velotric Breeze 1. Part commuter, part cruiser, the Breeze 1 is a fast yet comfortable e-bike intended for those who want a relaxed riding style without sacrificing performance.
Most cruiser electric bicycles are considered to be more of a laissez-faire endeavor, but the Velotric Breeze 1 is hoping to crank things up a notch with fast speeds and high-tech features.
Replacing the traditionally large and swoopy frame is a more accessible step-through design that comes in two sizes to fit a larger range of riders. But while the frame may look different than a classic cruiser, the pedal-forward geometry and swept-back cruiser handlebars definitely evoke true cruiser vibes.
That geometry, including the adjustable angle handlebars, helps give the Velotric Breeze 1 a more upright and relaxed ride.
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But don’t think that just because the Breeze 1 is a relaxed ride, it can’t still bring the performance. A 750W motor offers up to 28 mph (45 km/h) of speed in unlocked mode, though the bike comes with a 20 mph limit right out of the box. To open up Class 3 speeds, users will need to use the settings menu in the color display, where a plethora of other parameters can also be adjusted.
A 48V 13.4Ah battery provides 643Wh of battery capacity, or enough for a claimed maximum range of 75 miles (120 km) in the lowest power pedal assist mode. There are also 15 levels of pedal assist and the ability to choose between the torque sensor or the cadence sensor to activate that pedal assist (and of course throttle mode, for those who don’t want to pedal at all).
While torque sensors are generally more highly praised for their ability to offer near-instantaneous power delivery and more natural feeling riding, some people prefer a cadence sensor since it can be used more like a foot throttle, allowing minimal effort from the rider. By offering the option to choose between the two, Velotric is giving everyone the opportunity to ride the way they prefer.
The battery is IPX7-rated, meaning it can be submerged in up to three feet of water. The rest of the bike is IPX6-rated, allowing owners to pressure wash the bike without worry of water getting inside. Like all of Velotric’s electric bikes, both the battery and the entire bike are UL-certified.
The Velotric Breeze 1 also includes Apple FindMy location tracking, punchy hydraulic disc brakes, bright LED lighting including turn signals, easy-rolling 27.5×2.2 urban tires, a Shimano 8-speed derailleur, and is even rather lightweight for a cruiser e-bike at just 48 lb (21.7 kg).
The seat stay-mounted tail lights are also spread wide on the rear of the bike, allowing the turn signals to function even better as directional indicators for drivers.
The bike lacks suspension, offering a purely rigid fork and frame, but is likely intended for operation on smooth beach paths and other areas without the bumpy terrain that typically begs true suspension.
Priced at US $1,799, the Velotric Breeze 1 was just launched this morning and is already available for order on Velotric’s site. The bike comes in five different colors and two different frame sizes, fitting riders between 4’11 and 6’4″ (150-193 cm).
What do you think of Velotric’s newest e-bike? Let us know in the comment section below, and be on the lookout for our own review of the Breeze 1 coming soon!
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ACME stock soars on today’s cartoonishly silly episode of Quick Charge, we watch Tesla Autopilot crash into a wall with a painting on it, make the Elon stans look silly when they point out shady behavior from their fearless leader, and toss out the notion that some franchise dealers might help the troubled EV brand make more sales in red states.
We also cover Toyota as it moves to position itself for global battery dominance by suppling batteries to more than 400,000 electrified Honda vehicles per year, plus an upgraded Xpeng G6 electric SUV that makes everything on this side of the Pacific look positively plebeian. All this and more, enjoy!
New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (and sometimes Sunday). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news.
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Got news? Let us know! Drop us a line at tips@electrek.co. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show.
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Tesla has already started offering 0% APR on loans for the new Model Y in China, showing a clear sign of weak demand.
We recently reported that Tesla is under increased pressure from competition in China, the world’s largest EV market.
The Tesla Model 3 was recently surpassed in sales by the Xiaomi SU7 in a record short period from starting production. The SU7 not only outsells Model 3 in China, but Xiaomi’s electric sedan has a 31-34-week-long order backlog compared to just 1-3 weeks for Tesla’s.
Tesla didn’t apply these same offers to new Model Y orders because Tesla enjoyed more demand for the vehicle due to the launch of the Model Y refresh, and the production launch limited the supplies.
We noted that a good indication of when Tesla is running out of the backlog of orders, which was opened in January, for the newly delivered vehicle would be if Tesla brings back financing incentives on the Model Y.
Today, Tesla announced that it was bringing back the 0% interest loans on the base version of the new Model Y:
The Model Y RWD is by far Tesla’s best-selling car in China and Tesla is now offering up to 3 years at 0% for a 30% down payment and some discounted rates for a smaller down payment.
The incentive starts now and up to April 30. Tesla wrote:
If you purchase a Model Y rear-wheel drive version from March 18, 2025 to April 30, 2025 and pick up the car before the order expiration date according to the delivery and payment terms in the order, eligible customers can apply for the following financial preferential plans:
Tesla currently quotes “2-4 weeks” as a delivery timeline for new orders for the new Model Y RWD, and 6-10 weeks for Long Range AWD.
The Long Range appears to enjoy a bit more demand. Tesla even slightly increased the price by RMB 10,000 yuan ($1,380).
Electrek’s Take
It’s important to consider that Tesla is believed to be selling a mix of RWD vs AWD around 3 to 1 or even 4 to 1. Therefore, any change in pricing and subsidized loans to the Short Range RWD would have a massive impact on Tesla.
I have to say, I’m surprised. I suspected Tesla would have some issues selling the new Model Y in the second half of the year after some excitement for the new version wore off and competition like the Xiaomi YU7 would arrive, but I didn’t think it would come so fast.
Even if this is because Tesla was able to ramp up production of the new version faster, which could mean more deliveries in Q1, the fact that they are already discounting them is a terrible sign of demand.
I didn’t have high hopes for Tesla’s prospects in China in 2025, but even I thought this would not come for another 3-5 months.
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