Chinese automaker BYD continues to leave Tesla in the dust. The company introduced a new battery system on Monday that it claims can charge an electric vehicle in just five minutes, about the same time it takes to refuel a traditional car. The feat has long been a goal of the industry, which is still trying to overcome thorny hurdles around charging that have held potential buyers back.
The company specifically claims it can provide 249 miles of range in 5 minutes in its new Han L sedan. That compares to Tesla’s best charging rate, which can add 170 miles of range in 15 minutes at one of its high-voltage Superchargers. Elon Musk years ago bet big on an in-house made battery to provide extended range and improved range to his company’s vehicles, but seemingly found battery development is harder than expected, as the 4860 battery has not lived up to expectations.
BYD’s stock rose on the news to reach a market value of roughly $158 billion. It is up approximately 58% so far this year.
There has been some concern raised that fast charging such as that from BYD could shorten the overall lifespan of an EV battery, but there is little evidence thus far to support that idea.
The CEO of major Chinese battery maker CATL last year said Musk “doesn’t know how to make a battery” in an interview with Reuters.
BYD, now the leading EV maker in China, was founded in 1995 as a battery manufacturing company, and only later entered the automotive market as it realized that the future of cars would be computers on wheels. It also assembles iPads for Apple. It makes EVs at a range of prices, with its most affordable Seagull coming in at a starting price of just $9,700. BYD has been expanding across the world into markets like Europe and South America, building China’s soft power by creating local jobs and proving it can be successful outside the domestic Chinese market.
This all comes as Musk looks to handicap U.S. automotive companies by getting rid of subsidies that were helping the industry transition. Critics of China have complained that it uses subsidies to flood foreign markets with cheap product, but BYD is profitable on EVs now, and U.S. automakers could do the same if they had more time to reach scale. America was once a leader in automotive globally, but has decided to cede that position to China in favor of AI and crypto.
The transition to EVs has come with more growing pains than many in the industry expected, as charging infrastructure has been slow to expand and available chargers are frequently broken or slow. The existing infrastructure around gas-powered vehicles was developed over decades, however, and it makes sense it would similarly take time for EVs to reach maturity. Fast-charging capabilities could placate drivers who do not want to sit at chargers for a long time.
Besides leapfrogging Tesla on price and battery performance, BYD also recently announced it would be adding advanced self-driving features to all of its vehicles. Reviewers have lauded BYD’s system for its performance.
It should all serve as a reminder that Tesla’s current valuation does not make a lot sense. Sales have been cratering globally, the company sells fewer vehicles than BMW at lower profit margins, its vehicle lineup is dated, and full autonomy is years late. But Musk has pivoted to self-driving robocabs and robotics to keep the valuation afloat. Tesla stock has fallen 40% since the start of 2025 in part over intense backlash to Musk’s close involvement in the Trump administration.
Perhaps if he was not spending all his time in Washington, Musk would have more time for Tesla, once the leader in electric vehicles but now second-tier compared to BYD. The power and proximity to President Trump is more valuable to him for now, it seems. It is certainly sad to think how much further ahead Tesla would be today if it had a full-time CEO not making the brand toxic.
