How to quickly charge to full capacity: BYD unveiled an electric vehicle that can be charged in 12 minutes

BYD enters the premium segment: new Z9GT from Denza

The Chinese automaker BYD already surpassed Tesla last year and became the world's largest supplier of electric vehicles. Now the company plans to make its mark in the European luxury market, where Porsche and BMW compete.

What’s new?
* Brand – Denza (BYD's premium division).
* Model – Z9GT, a luxury-class electric vehicle.
* Key feature – fast-charging technology: 70 % charge in 5 minutes and nearly full level in 12 minutes even at -30 °C.
* Range – up to 800 km.
* Availability in Europe – launch next month; in the UK – summer (prices not yet announced).

BYD’s international division head, Stella Li, emphasized that the Z9GT “represents an important milestone in global fast-charging deployment.” This confirms the company’s strategy of expanding its presence beyond China.

Why now?
* Domestic market situation – BYD sales in China fell 41 % in February compared to the same month in 2025, the largest drop in five years.
* Analysts expect sales recovery only in Q2 2026 after launching new fast-charging models.
* In Europe sales grew more than threefold last year: almost 190,000 vehicles, market share – 1.7 % of the EU and 2.4 % in the UK.

Thus, entering the premium market offsets pressure inside China and strengthens the company’s overseas position.

Charging infrastructure
* BYD already has over 4,200 fast stations in China.
* Plans to expand them to 20,000 worldwide by year‑end, including hundreds of new points in Europe.
* This resembles Tesla’s Supercharger network, which helped retain customer loyalty.

EV growth prospects in the EU
* In December EV sales first surpassed gasoline cars (17.4 % of total sales versus 13.6 % in 2024).
* However penetration varies widely: many parts of Eastern Europe still lack charging infrastructure.

Many experts believe that developing public and home charging networks will be a more important growth factor for electric vehicle numbers than BYD’s and CATL’s ultra‑fast charging technology.

Conclusion
BYD expands its lineup: moving from the mass segment to premium class with the Z9GT. A strong “fast” charging strategy, aggressive infrastructure development, and overseas sales growth create conditions for the Chinese automaker to secure a notable position in Europe’s luxury market.