The BYD ATTO 8 can charge from 10% to 97% in 9 minutes, but not at every charging station.

Chinese BYD used the press day of the 91st edition of Mondial de l’Auto, which opened the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles exhibition on Monday, October 12, to unveil the ATTO 8 model in Europe. This is the brand’s flagship seven-seater SUV equipped with a 115 kWh Blade battery. However, what stood out most was not its power or range but rather its charging claim: 10 to 97 percent charge in just nine minutes thanks to Flash Charging technology. The car will have to wait a while before it’s available, as the ATTO 8 is scheduled to reach European showrooms in the first quarter of 2027, with prices yet to be announced. The record-breaking charging times, however, depend heavily on BYD’s dedicated megawatt-level charging infrastructure, with the first such facility in Poland set to open before the end of this year.

97 percent in nine minutes

According to the manufacturer, the ATTO 8 battery can be charged from 10% to 70% in 5 minutes and to 97% in 9 minutes. Even at -30°C, the process takes about 12 minutes. Behind these results are the second generation of Blade batteries, namely lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) cells, along with Flash Charging 2.0, introduced by BYD in China in March 2026. The architecture operates at a voltage of around 1000 V, with the peak power of the charging station in its latest version reaching 1500 kW.

A simple calculation shows the scale of the challenge. With a capacity of 115 kWh, going from 10% to 97% requires delivering approximately 100 kWh of energy. Achieving this in nine minutes demands an average power level of nearly 670 kW throughout the process, while charging from 10% to 70% in five minutes requires an average power of over 800 kW. No commonly available charger in Europe can deliver such parameters today.

No megawatts, no records

The fastest public chargers using CCS2 standards currently offer around 350–400 kW in Europe, though the actual power delivered to vehicles is often lower. An ATTO 8 connected to such a charger will still charge quickly, but the claimed nine minutes remain unattainable. That’s why BYD, following Tesla’s example, is building its own charging network.

Flash Charging made its European debut in April 2026 in Paris, alongside the launch of the Denza brand and the Z9GT model. The first public station of this type opened in Germany in May. The manufacturer plans to have around 6,000 locations outside China, with half of them set to be established in Europe. Previous announcements suggested the end of 2026, but with the launch of the ATTO 8, the timeline has been extended to the end of 2027. In China alone, the Flash Charging network had over 6,100 stations in more than 300 cities by the end of May.

An important component of this concept are energy storage systems. Each station is intended to be equipped with a battery bank that buffers energy and reduces the demands on the grid connection. This is crucial in countries where obtaining grid connection approval for a facility with megawatt-level capacity often takes years.

First hub still in 2026

According to the manufacturer’s announcement, the first Polish Flash Charging hub with a capacity of up to 1 MW is set to open before the end of this year. Previously, BYD representatives in Poland indicated that in the initial phase, stations would mainly be located near dealers and partner companies, with plans for several dozen locations in the country, likely in a semi-private format.

Poland is a market of growing importance for BYD. In 2025, the brand registered 6,853 vehicles there, giving it the lead in the electrified vehicle segment (BEVs and PHEVs combined). For 2026, the company aims to at least double this figure to around 15,000 vehicles.

462 to 775 HP

The ATTO 8 is 5,040 mm long and 1,996 mm wide. It will be available in Europe in two electric versions. The Design version with rear-wheel drive has an engine producing 340 kW (462 HP), accelerates to 100 km/h in 8 seconds, and according to the manufacturer, can travel up to 653 km on a WLTP cycle.

The top-tier Excellence version features two engines and all-wheel drive, delivering a combined power output of 570 kW (775 HP). It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds, with a claimed WLTP range of 602 km. In both aspects, these figures place the ATTO 8 among the leading large family electric SUVs.

Seven seats and a 26-inch HUD

Three rows of seats mean a compromise in trunk space. With all passengers seated, the trunk holds 270 liters, and after folding down the second and third rows, it expands to 1960 liters. An additional 136 liters are available in the front compartment. Features include a three-zone climate control system, ventilated seats with massage function in the first two rows, and an onboard refrigerator with heating capability.

The driver has access to 10.25-inch digital dashboards and a 26-inch transparent HUD display. The central 15.6-inch screen controls the system with built-in Google services.

Test for BYD’s European strategy

The launch of the ATTO 8 is part of a broader push by Chinese manufacturers at this year’s Paris auto show, where over 20 Chinese brands have booths. BYD and Denza together occupy more than 1600 square meters of exhibition space.

However, the real test for the ATTO 8 won’t be its specifications but the pace of building up the charging network. If Flash Charging stations appear in Europe at the planned scale by its 2027 market launch, BYD will have an advantage that its competitors currently lack. If not, the record-breaking nine minutes will remain mainly a compelling slogan from the show.

electromobilni.pl editorial team