500 kilometers in just 12 minutes: the Chinese battery that challenges BYD and rejects Stellantis and BMW.

26/10/2026 15:00

Updated to

26/10/2026 15:00

A few days ago we reported on the launch in Spain of the GWM Haval 7, a Chinese electric SUV that is also available as a hybrid or PHEV model competing in Spain against the BYD Seal U, whose plug-in hybrid version we have already tested.

But the rivalry between GWM and BYD has now reached a new level… in the field of batteries, with one featuring revolutionary technology—a hybrid between liquid and solid-state batteries—that promises 500 km of range with just 12 minutes of charging. And it is produced by a direct competitor of BYD—and its battery company FinDreams—which a few years ago refused offers from BMW and Stellantis.

Svolt rejected offers from BMW and Stellantis and is now (almost) on par with BYD

We are talking about the Chinese battery giant SVOLT, which years ago was merely the battery division of manufacturer GWM and became an independent company in 2018.

At the beginning of this decade, it was the battery giant with the most projects in Europe. In 2021, it even reached agreements with Stellantis to produce batteries for its electric vehicles — the current Citroën e-C3, in fact, already uses SVOLT batteries. And not only with Stellantis, but also with BMW in 2023 — yet this giant decided to leave Europe in 2024 due to slow sales growth of electric vehicles on the Old Continent.

That doesn’t mean it is no longer a giant on par with BYD’s battery company. Nor does it mean it has (almost) caught up with the leading Chinese manufacturer, which promises 400 kilometers of range after just 5 minutes of charging thanks to its Flash Charging technology.

1,000,000 kilometers and debut in “multiple manufacturers”

SVOLT now challenges the first Chinese manufacturer with a solid-liquid hybrid battery that can recharge 500 km in just 12 minutes — slightly slower than BYD, admittedly — but which is already being mass-produced, offers a lifespan of 1,000,000 km, and will soon be introduced by “multiple manufacturers.”

This is what the company announced on China’s social media platform Weibo, stating that its Dragon Armor battery prioritizes not only fast charging speed but also safety. A spokesperson for the Chinese company said the battery features a six-layer armored structure that provides three times greater impact resistance than required by regulations in their country.

In addition, this battery supports 6C fast charging at 900 V, allowing it to cover 500 kilometers in just 12 minutes.

The Chinese company believes that solid-liquid hybrid batteries will not be merely “a transitional technology” toward solid-state batteries — which OMODA and JAECOO’s owner promises by 2027 — but rather “a long-term technology” for electric vehicles. Still, it also aims to use its technology to advance toward solid-state batteries, a type that BYD is said to possibly introduce in its “next electric Rolls Royce.”

SVOLT has already stated that its battery has been selected by “multiple automakers” for use in upcoming models, which will be announced soon.