BYD Flash Charging in Portugal: Charging an EV in 5 Minutes at 1,500 kW
Published: 12/06/2026
Charging an EV in 5 minutes is no longer a promise
Ten percent to seventy percent in five minutes. That's about the time it takes to grab a coffee and use the restroom. BYD has just switched on its first Flash Charging station in Germany — the first outside China — and the plan is clear: 3,000 of these stations across Europe by the end of 2026. For anyone following electric mobility in Portugal, this is the news that changes the conversation about fast charging. The question is no longer "how long does it take" but "when does BYD Flash Charging arrive in Portugal".
The power figure says it all: 1,500 kW (1.5 MW) delivered through a single CCS connector. For context, a Tesla V4 Supercharger tops out at around 500 kW, and the ultra-rapid chargers we have today on Portuguese motorways sit around 350 kW. BYD multiplies that by four.
What charging at 1,500 kW actually means
BYD's pitch comes down to three numbers: "Ready in 5, Full in 9, Cold Add 3". In plain terms:
- 5 minutes: 10% to 70% of battery
- 9 minutes: 10% to 97%
- -30°C: only about 3 extra minutes compared with normal conditions
These aren't lab figures. In a live UK demonstration, a Denza Z9 GT with a 122 kWh battery charged from 10% to 97% in about nine minutes. That's the kind of timing that makes charging an EV as quick as filling a petrol tank — for years the very argument that held back hesitant buyers.
The secret is in the battery. The Blade Battery 2.0 uses LFP (lithium iron phosphate) cells with "high-speed channels" for lithium ions, which cut the heat generated during charging. And heat, as BYD puts it, is the number one enemy of fast charging.
Which BYD models support 1,500 kW charging
Here's the small print that matters. Any car with a standard CCS port can use these stations — that's EU law, which forces networks to stay open to all brands. But only vehicles fitted with the Blade Battery 2.0 reach the full 1,500 kW.
At the European launch, the compatible models all belong to Denza, BYD's premium brand:
| Model | Type | Battery |
|---|---|---|
| Denza Z9 GT | Electric or plug-in hybrid | 122 kWh |
| Denza D9 | Electric or plug-in hybrid MPV | — |
| Denza B5 | SUV (plug-in hybrid only) | — |
The Denza Z9 GT is the showcase for this technology, with a European price of €115,000 (VAT included). It's not a car for the average Portuguese buyer — it's a flagship meant to demonstrate what the platform can do. The underlying tech, the Super e-Platform, debuted in China in March 2025 with a 1,000 V architecture, up to 1,000 A of current, and the ability to add roughly 400 km of range in 5 minutes, on the BYD Han L sedan and Tang L SUV.
How much it costs to charge at Flash Charging stations
Speed means nothing if the price per kWh is prohibitive. And here BYD surprises in a good way.
For BYD and Denza owners, the target is around 50 pence per kWh (~€0.58) — about 30 pence cheaper than current UK rapid-charging rates. The trick lies in the station's design. Instead of demanding a huge (and expensive) new grid connection, where waits can stretch to two years, each station uses two on-site batteries of around 2 MW each (4 MW total), charged overnight during off-peak hours through a modest 200 kW connection. Cheap electricity stored at night, delivered at high power during the day.
There's a catch for those who don't drive a BYD: owners of other brands pay higher rates and are capped at a maximum 10-minute session. Denza buyers, on the other hand, get 18 months of free charging.
BYD Flash Charging versus Tesla Supercharger
The comparison is unavoidable. BYD is doing for Europe what Tesla did a decade ago with Superchargers — building its own network that makes its cars more appealing. The difference is in scale and openness.
| BYD Flash Charging | Tesla Supercharger V4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Peak power | 1,500 kW | ~500 kW |
| 10% to 70% | ~5 minutes | slower |
| Open to other brands | Yes (mandatory in the EU) | Yes, but closed origin |
At between £500,000 and £1 million per charger, BYD has described the project as "the biggest investment in charging infrastructure ever done in Europe". That's no small boast.
Frequently Asked Questions
There is still no confirmed date or locations for Portugal. Europe's first Flash Charging unit opens in Italy in mid-June 2026, with France named as a priority market. Portugal is included in the plan for 3,000 European chargers by the end of 2026, but no specific stations have been announced yet.
Any car with a CCS port can use the stations, but only vehicles fitted with the Blade Battery 2.0 reach the full 1,500 kW. At the European launch the compatible models all belong to Denza: the Denza Z9 GT (122 kWh battery), the Denza D9 MPV and the Denza B5 SUV. Under ideal conditions this technology charges from 10% to 70% in about 5 minutes.
For BYD and Denza owners, the target is around 50 pence per kWh (roughly €0.58), about 30 pence cheaper than current UK rapid-charging rates. Each station uses two on-site batteries (around 4 MW total) charged overnight during off-peak hours, which lowers the electricity cost. Drivers of other brands pay higher rates and are capped at a maximum 10-minute session.
The Denza Z9 GT has a European price of around €115,000 including VAT, though there is no specific official Portuguese price yet. It is a flagship electric or plug-in hybrid with a 122 kWh battery, intended more to showcase the Flash Charging technology than to suit the average Portuguese buyer.
Yes, at peak it is much faster: BYD Flash Charging delivers up to 1,500 kW through a single CCS connector, versus the roughly 500 kW maximum of a Tesla V4 Supercharger — about four times more. In practice, BYD promises 10% to 70% in around 5 minutes. Both networks are open to other brands, as required by EU regulation.
When BYD Flash Charging arrives in Portugal
The question every Portugal-based reader is asking — and the honest answer is: there's no confirmed date for Portugal yet. None of the sources mention a specific Portuguese station. (For non-locals: Portugal's public charging runs on the MOBI.E network, and any BYD rollout here would slot alongside it.)
What we do know is the European timeline. Europe's first Flash Charging unit opens in Italy in mid-June 2026. France has been named a priority market. The UK is targeting 300 stations (the date swings between end of 2026 and end of 2027 depending on the source). Portugal falls under this plan as part of the 3,000 European chargers planned by the end of 2026, but with no confirmed locations for now.
The ideal spacing is one station every 50 km, at sites such as motorway service areas, dealerships, and even supermarkets. If BYD hits its continental schedule, it's plausible that Portugal will see its first stations within this window — worth keeping an eye on the brand's upcoming announcements for southern Europe.
For now, the bigger signal is what matters: Europe's charging infrastructure war just gained a powerful new player. And once the chargers land, the old excuse that "it takes too long to charge" stops making sense.