BYD launches first fast charger in Austria

BYD opened the first flash-charging station in the DACH region at the Göndle car dealership in St. Pölten. By the end of 2027, as many as 100 locations in Austria alone are expected to have BYD’s megawatt-capable fast chargers. A permanently installed but yet-to-open flash charger has also been spotted in Germany.

Image: Michael Ebner / BYD Austria

BYD was still convinced in the summer that it could install 300 Flash Chargers in Germany alone by the end of the year. Now, the Chinese manufacturer has scaled back its goals, stating that 100 stations will be set up across Europe this year. One of these has now been inaugurated in St. Pölten. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first operational Flash Charger in the DACH region. These T-shaped charging stations are said to be capable of delivering up to 1,500 kW and can charge compatible BYD vehicles to 97% in less than ten minutes.

In Germany as well, the first Flash Charger is likely to be connected to the grid soon. The Nextmove website published a photo sent by a reader showing a permanently installed unit at the BYD delivery center in Stuttgart-Untertürkheim. However, this charging station is not yet in operation.

Third-party brands are also welcome for Flash Chargers

Important to note upfront: The Flash Chargers are not exclusive chargers for BYD; they are publicly available and can also be used by vehicles from other brands. “Thanks to the CCS2 charging standard, electric vehicles from other manufacturers should be able to use this infrastructure as long as they meet the technical requirements,” says BYD’s office in Austria. Additionally, collaborations with established charging card providers are planned, along with a transparent pricing system based on energy consumption measured in kilowatt-hours. For now, only certain BYD electric vehicles can utilize the full charging capacity. Other brands can achieve high power levels, but not those in the megawatt range.

Here is the background: The foundation for this international rollout is BYD’s second generation of “Flash Chargers.” These T-shaped charging stations come with two cables. A rail system is designed to allow the cables hanging from above to be easily moved, despite them likely being relatively heavy due to cooling requirements. The promised performance is up to 1,500 kilowatts of charging power. This is fully available on all BYD vehicles equipped with second-generation Blade batteries.

The rollout is progressing rapidly, especially in China

BYD had confirmed at the European debut of its Denzaim brand in April that it aimed to open 6,000 fast-charging stations outside China within the next twelve months, including 3,000 in Europe. It seems progress isn’t quite that fast after all. In any case, this initiative in Europe follows a rapid rollout domestically. By the end of August, BYD had already installed around 10,000 fast-charging stations in China. An additional cooperation agreement signed in early summer with Sinopec is set to further accelerate infrastructure expansion through China’s largest network of gas stations.

BYD Austria’s subsidiary, BYD Austria – CCI Car Austria GmbH, has issued its own statement regarding Austria’s first flash charger. The pilot device will be tested throughout the rest of the year, according to the statement. After that, the flash charging network in Austria is set to expand gradually to up to 100 locations by the end of 2027. In addition to selected dealer locations, BYD plans to establish partnerships with gas station operators, Charge Point Operators (CPOs), and energy providers to achieve this goal.

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"Currently, 40 to 50 potential locations across Austria are under discussion. The goal is to establish a network along major traffic routes and at strategically important mobility locations," the officials said. BYD still plans to install 3,000 Flash Chargers in Europe in total.

Wolfgang Eisl, Head of Network Strategy & Development at BYD Automotive Austria GmbH, summarized: "With the first Flash Charging Station at Autohaus Göndle, we set the starting point for a next-generation charging network across Austria. We are already working intensively on additional locations and partnerships to roll out this technology as quickly as possible. Our goal is a high-performance network that not only strengthens our business partners but also makes electric mobility attractive to a broader audience."

Autohaus Göndle is one of 60 dealer partners of the Chinese brand in Austria. Michael Hickelsberger, the manager of the dealership, is pleased with its pioneering status: “We have been a BYD partner for over a year and see every day how this brand is transforming mobility through its innovation. Being the first location in Austria to be part of this next stage of technological development is a great opportunity for us and fills us with pride. We’re not just talking about the future of electric mobility—we get to actively shape it right here with us today.”

According to BYD, this technology opens up new possibilities for site development: Integrated battery storage means that existing locations with limited grid connection capacity (starting at 100 kW) could also be suitable for ultra-fast charging, the company says. Patrick Lang, Country Manager Austria at BYD Automotive Austria GmbH, sees this technology as a pivotal turning point for electric mobility: “Our goal is to make charging an electric car as simple and fast as refueling a gasoline vehicle. By doing so, we are the first manufacturer in Europe to eliminate one of the biggest hurdles to transitioning to electric mobility with our megawatt charging technology: the concern over long charging times.”