BYD’s megawatt-charging Han L and Tang L get huge price drop

BYD’s newest flagship models, the Han L and Tang L, have gone on sale in China for significantly cheaper than initially presumed. Both models are built on the Chinese manufacturer’s latest ‘Super e’ platform, which promises megawatt charging (1,000 kW) to recover up to 400 km of range in just 5 minutes.

Even the fastest-charging electric cars struggle to exceed a peak charging power of 350 kW, which takes around 15 to 20 minutes to charge their batteries from 10 to 80%. BYD claims to have found the solution: instead of using 800 V batteries, the Chinese manufacturer has jumped to 1,000 volts, enabling charging speeds equivalent to refueling a combustion car.

Megawatt charging for passenger cars

With batteries running at 1,000 V and a charger capable of providing a current of 1,000 A, BYD’s new Super e-Platform can reach a charging power of 1 megawatt (MW) or 1,000 kW.

This is the power level that only electric heavy trucks can reach, but they have much larger batteries that can better distribute the load. BYD’s 1,000 V LFP battery has a capacity of only 83.2 kWh.

The numbers are impressive: with a compatible charging station, each second at the charger gives you two km of range. 400 km can be achieved in just five minutes – around the time it takes to refuel a combustion car. A quick toilet break on the drive toward your holiday destination, and the car’s full again.

Most powerful motor yet

An additional benefit of these voltages is that the battery can supply massive power to the motors. Alongside the new 1,000 V batteries, BYD has unveiled its most powerful motor yet: a 580 kW (789 hp) unit that can spin up to 30,511 rpm – the first to exceed 30,000 rpm.

This guarantees a high level of acceleration without compromising on top speed: BYD promises over 300 km/hour. According to the Chinese manufacturer, its 16.4 kW/kg power density is also an industry-first for a mass-produced motor.

BYD Han L and Tang L first models on 1,000 V platform

The first models to benefit from this new platform will be the BYD Han L sedan and the technically related Tang L SUV. Both were already leaked in January when the Chinese MIIT published photos and technical specs of the new models.

The BYD Han L is the successor to the flagship sedan sold in Europe. It measures 5,050 mm long, 1,960 mm wide, and 1,505 mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2,970 mm, just over five cm longer and wider than the current model.

With its 83.2 kWh battery pack, the BYD Han L achieves a CLTC range of up to 701 km. Two powertrain variants are available: a RWD model with 500 kW (680 hp) and a dual-motor 4WD model with a massive 810 kW (1,102 hp), rivaling the Tesla Model S Plaid with a 0-100 km/hour sprint in 2.7 seconds and a top speed of 305 km/hour.+

The more family-oriented BYD Tang L SUV features a 7-seat layout (2+3+2), dimensions of 5040/1996/1760 mm, and a wheelbase of 2950 mm. It gets the same motors as the Han L but features a larger 100.5 kWh LFP battery pack to compensate for its larger size.

According to the CLTC cycle, the BYD Tang L can travel up to 670 km. The 0-100 km/hour sprint takes at least 3.6 seconds.

Much lower pricing than initially announced

The BYD Han L was initially available for presale in China, with prices between 270,000 and 350,000 yuan (€33,400 to €43,300), but with the sales books now officially open, BYD has lowered the price drastically. The full-size electric saloon is now available from 219,800 to 279,800 yuan (€27,100 to €34,550), representing a price drop of around 20%.

The BYD Tang L has also become cheaper at its official launch, although the difference is not as big as with the Han L. The SUV is now available to order in China for 239,800 to 289,800 yuan (€29,600 to €35,800) instead of the presale pricing of 280,000 to 360,000 yuan (€34,500 to €44,500).