Paris, France – Chinese carmaker BYD on Thursday vowed to conquer Europe with a new compact electric model and super-fast charging capability to rival continental brands.
In China this week it unveiled a new charging system that it says will allow drivers 470 kilometres (nearly 300 miles) of battery life after charging for just five minutes — four times faster than the best systems currently on the market.
“It is really as fast as refuelling a petrol car,” Li said. “We are… preparing to bring this kind of cutting-edge technology to Europe in the next few years.”
BYD said it doubled its exports in the first two months of 2025 from a year earlier, to 130,000 vehicles. It sold 4.2 million worldwide in 2024, making it the globe’s sixth-biggest car firm.
The European Union has imposed a 17-percent tariff on Chinese electric vehicles to make up for Chinese state subsidies.
EU restrictions “will not change BYD’s plan because BYD is like a long-term player”, Li insisted.
EU authorities are also reportedly investigating BYD’s first European factory, in Hungary, where electric car production is scheduled to start late this year.
“We will be very transparent, very open, working with anybody who wants to do an investigation,” Li said.
