BYD & megawatt charging demos accelerate practical ultra-fast charging; infrastructure funding grows; GM V2G plans
Key Questions
What recent demos show progress in ultra-fast EV charging?
CATL, BYD, and XPeng demonstrated 3-5 minute charging sessions, with the XPeng P7+ achieving 10-80% in 12 minutes at 446 kW peak. Real-world tests also covered the Denza N9 and Leapmotor B10 at 174 kW.
How is US EV charging infrastructure funding evolving?
California allocated $55M for fast chargers, Kentucky issued a NEVI RFP, and Illinois opened a $30M funding round. Electrify America opened a new Santa Barbara station with 20 Hyper-Fast chargers and NACS conversion.
What are GM's vehicle-to-grid plans?
GM is developing V2G technology alongside sodium-ion grid storage and second-life battery projects to support grid stability and energy storage.
How reliable is the current US fast-charging network?
Recent data indicates positive reliability trends, with Electrify America simplifying payments and Google Maps now showing Supercharger occupancy for non-Tesla drivers to reduce anxiety.
What new programs support smart EV charging?
DTE's SmartCharge Rewards in Michigan offers utility incentives, while Nissan leads a £10M UK project combining solar, GaN inverters, AI, and V2G.
CATL/BYD/XPeng 3-5min demos; XPeng P7+ real-world test shows 12 min 10-80% (446 kW peak). IONNA Alpitronic HYC400 at $0.20/kWh. Denza N9 Flash Charge Edition real-world test. BYD cold-weather flash charging test at -30°C raises skepticism. California $55M for fast charging; Electrify America simplifies payments; Kentucky NEVI RFP. US fast-charging network reliability data positive. NACS standardization explainer. 120V charging inefficiency data. Roundup of 7 fastest-charging EV batteries. Leapmotor B10 shows 174 kW peak real-world charging. Mercedes GLC EQ charging test. Technical explainer on AC/DC power electronics. Canadian EV charging network review. GM outlines vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology plans, including sodium-ion grid storage and second-life battery projects. Toyota/Subaru 2026 EVs achieve 10-80% in 26 min with 150 kW flat curve and 11 kW onboard. Zeekr 7X, Tesla Model Y, BYD Atto 3 top fastest-charging under £50k list. New: Electrify America opens second station in Santa Barbara with 20 Hyper-Fast chargers and NACS conversion pilot. New: DTE SmartCharge Rewards program in Michigan offers utility incentives for smart charging. New: Shell concept EV with immersion cooling achieves 10-80% in under 10 min on 175kW charger, 10 km/kWh efficiency. New: Nissan leads £10M UK EV charging research project (Project SUITE) combining solar, GaN inverters, AI, V2G. New: Google Maps now tells non-Tesla EV drivers if a Supercharger will be full on arrival, reducing charging anxiety. New: Rivian R2 fast-charging test beats its own 29-min claim by 2 min, peaking at 226 kW, with adapter melting issue noted. New: Kentucky EV charging site opens with 800 kW shared across four dispensers, NACS/CCS1, pull-through, covered bays – PowerUp-Kempower partnership expanding in Southeast. New: Illinois opens $30M NEVI funding round for EV charging stations, signaling continued government support.