Vandalism against BYD fast chargers is worsening.
BYD has become a victim of vandalism in China. A photo of chained flash chargers is circulating on Chinese social media platforms. The perpetrator has not yet been identified. BYD has not issued any statement regarding the incident. However, this is not the first bizarre incident involving BYD’s flash chargers.
Image: Di Fen Zhi Jia
Photos of a modified BYD megawatt fast charger on Chinese social media platforms have sparked discussions and speculation. The photos show a thick chain attached around the two charging plugs and secured with a padlock, preventing customers from using the station without risking damage to their vehicles. The charger itself showed no damage; the display was intact, and the LED indicated green light to signal it was ready for use.
While many on social networks suspected competing brands were behind the action, an economic conflict related to local charging infrastructure is considered more plausible. A large portion of China’s charging network operates through franchise systems.
Since the margins per kilowatt hour in the fast-charging category are extremely low—outside major cities, prices are often only 1 to 1.5 yuan (about 0.13 to 0.20 euros)—operators try to generate revenue through advertising or additional services such as charging insurance against damage during charging. BYD’s aggressive expansion with its own high-performance chargers puts significant pressure on independent providers.
Even though flash chargers can charge vehicles without this fast-charging technology at the same speed as other DC chargers, many electric vehicle owners in China prefer BYD’s stations because they are modern and user-friendly. This takes business away from smaller, independent operators, even though they could offer the same charging times.
The incident is part of a series of problems BYD has faced at its new fast-charging stations. Recently, videos emerged showing children misusing the heavy charging cables as swings.
BYD subsequently announced it would tighten management at these locations. A focus will be on preventing misuse and avoiding blocked charging spots by internal combustion engine vehicles or vehicles that are not charging. Users in China have been urged to report wrongfully parked vehicles consistently through the official traffic police app.
However, Chinese online forums are also actively discussing whether these incidents might have been staged by content creators, as footage of locked or misused high-tech charging stations generates high click counts.