Sinopec Converts First Gas Station into BYD Flash Charging Hub

In China, EV charging infrastructure is keeping pace with the electric cars it serves, thanks to BYD's rapid expansion of 1,500 kW Flash Charging stations. The automaker has now teamed up with state-owned oil giant Sinopec to transform conventional fuel stations into EV charging locations.

The two companies have collaborated since mid-2024, and their first joint project is a converted Sinopec gas station in Shanghai. Previously a traditional fuel stop, the site now features six large T-shaped chargers, each with two plugs, arranged like gas pumps. A small convenience store and lounge remain for customers while their vehicles charge.

BYD's Flash Charging tech can take a battery from 10 to 70 percent in five minutes, and from 10 to 97 percent in as little as nine minutes. The chargers support EVs and plug-in hybrids equipped with BYD's second-generation Blade batteries. This is the first Sinopec location converted, but more fuel stations are planned for the same treatment.

Each Flash Charger also includes four spare Blade batteries with capacities of 169 kWh or 185 kWh, which can provide backup power during a blackout for eligible vehicles. The move signals a shift as charging speeds now rival the time it takes to pump gasoline, and gas stations themselves are being repurposed for the electric era.