BYD announced that it has already installed 10,000 of its 1.5 megawatt “flash charging” stations, despite only starting earlier this year. The number puts it halfway to its lofty goal of 20,000 stations by year’s end – and just about on pace to hit it.

The electric vehicle industry in China is advancing at a rapid pace, and one of the things that China is leading on is fast charging.

Manufacturers outside of China have offered cars that can charge in as fast as 18 minutes, which is still plenty quick, especially if you’re going to grab a bite to eat or go to the bathroom or something while stopped. Mercedes has an upcoming car that can charge in 11 minutes, but it’s going to b expensive.

Meanwhile in China, they’re starting to talk about seconds, not minutes. The fastest-charging consumer brand (Geely) says it can charge from 10-70% in 4 minutes and 22 seconds, and CATL says it has a battery in the works that will be able to charge from 10-80% in 3 minutes and 44 seconds.

BYD is another of the fastest-charging brands in China, with its Blade 2.0 battery quoting a 10-70% time of 5 minutes (or 10-97% in 9 minutes). Those batteries are charged by BYD’s “flash charging” system, which it unveiled this March with 1.5MW (1,500kW) charge capability.

Because that’s the thing – a fast-charging battery is all well and good, but only if you have the juice to charge it.

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