Megawatt EV charging

Wonder what sized diesel generator it takes to run one of these chargers at capacity? Reason I ask... there are a few Tesla chargers in the area that have diesel generators connected... not enough capacity in the local distribution system to handle the extra load.
I think we have lots of power to run chargers, just the sub stations and power lines in remote areas where the chargers need to be located are already tapped out. They need to be upgraded. The power utility doesn't seem to have a plan for this, and no budget as far as I have heard.
 
Wonder what sized diesel generator it takes to run one of these chargers at capacity? Reason I ask... there are a few Tesla chargers in the area that have diesel generators connected... not enough capacity in the local distribution system to handle the extra load.
I think we have lots of power to run chargers, just the sub stations and power lines in remote areas where the chargers need to be located are already tapped out. They need to be upgraded. The power utility doesn't seem to have a plan for this, and no budget as far as I have heard.

BYD's approach here is to store this energy ahead of time instead of pulling it from the grid in real time.

So in your example, the way they would solve that would be to have the energy storage capacity on site to meet a certain service level at peak times, and then replenish that storage slowly over time. When tapped out presumably it would default to a lower charging rate.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Foxbat and osu1991
As a temporary setup, here's Tesla essentially doing the same thing, just minus the innovations related to charging speed and the better architected cable distribution setup that BYD is making standard at an architectural levels across their sites. Tesla has optional megapack integration with their Superchargers, but those sites are exception not the rule.


View: https://x.com/niccruzpatane/status/2043366329764495727?s=20


Their vertical integration would allow them the best chance to do it here since obviously we're not going to let BYD come in and do it. Tesla has no motivation to do this beyond their own platform's current capabilities though and they're currently committed to rolling out an inferior option to what BYD is installing. The V4 chargers Tesla are currently rolling out are 1/3 speed and peak power delivery of the BYD Flash Chargers to a consumer vehicle - and even then only the Cybertruck is able to charge at those speeds.

BYD is charging and delivering more power here than Tesla is even feeding their electrical Semis.

PLEASE LOG IN TO GET RID OF THESE ADS!
 
  • Like
Reactions: osu1991
Comparison via Claude, haven't dug too much into it yet to sus out any hallucinations:

Good addition to the comparison — the HYC1000 is probably the most relevant Western third-party competitor here.

Three-Way Charger Comparison


SpecTesla V4 CabinetAlpitronic HYC1000BYD Flash Gen 2
System total power1,200 kW1,000 kW1,500 kW
Max per stall (car, CCS)500 kW600 kW1,500 kW
Max per stall (truck/MCS)1,200 kW (Semi)1,000 kW (MCS, 1,500A)N/A
Max current (car)~615A600A (oil-cooled)1,500A
Max current (truck/MCS)N/A specified1,500A (oil-cooled)N/A
Voltage range400–1,000V150–1,000V1,000V
Stalls per cabinet881 (dedicated)
Power granularity~125 kW62.5 kWN/A (full power)
Efficiency~96%>97.5%Not published
Grid buffer/BESSOptional (Megapack)OptionalBuilt-in, required
Connector standardsNACS, CCSCCS2, MCSChina GB/T
Open to all brandsYesYesNot yet
US availabilityYes (rolling out)Pilot 2026, series 2027No

Where the HYC1000 Fits


The Alpitronic actually beats Tesla on per-stall consumer output — the maximum for a single HYC1000 stall is over 500 kW, up to 600 amps at up to 1,000 volts Shell Recharge, vs. Tesla's 500 kW ceiling. That's a meaningful edge for third-party 800V vehicles like the Ioniq 6, Porsche Taycan, or Lucid models.​
It also beats Tesla on efficiency — the SiC-Stack GEN2 modules hit over 97.5% efficiency Shell Recharge, slightly ahead of Tesla's V4. And the broader voltage range (150–1,000V) gives it more vehicle compatibility.​
On the truck side, the MCS dispenser supports up to 1,500A oil-cooled Smart-mobility, meaning it's technically capable of higher current than Tesla's Semi setup — though cabinet power caps it at 1 MW total vs. Tesla's 1.2 MW.​
Where it still loses to BYD:The HYC1000 is still a shared-pool system. The 1 MW total is shared between stalls with 62.5 kW granularity Shell Recharge — so if multiple vehicles are charging, per-car throughput drops. BYD's per-stall dedicated 1,500 kW with onsite BESS doesn't share or taper. It's a fundamentally different design philosophy.​


Ranking on consumer charging speed:
  1. 🥇 BYD Flash Gen 2 — 1,500 kW dedicated per stall
  2. 🥈 Alpitronic HYC1000 — 600 kW per stall (peak, single vehicle)
  3. 🥉 Tesla V4 — 500 kW per stall (Cybertruck only; 250 kW for everything else)
The HYC1000 is the most competitive Western option and actually edges Tesla for non-Tesla 800V cars. But all three Western systems are playing a different — and slower — game than BYD.
 
  • Like
Reactions: osu1991
BYD's approach here is to store this energy ahead of time instead of pulling it from the grid in real time.

So in your example, the way they would solve that would be to have the energy storage capacity on site to meet a certain service level at peak times, and then replenish that storage slowly over time. When tapped out presumably it would default to a lower charging rate.
As long as BYD and other interested parties would install the storage capacity at these remote locations, that would be great. I don't know who currently supplies the generators, maybe a split between Tesla and the utility? Takes the financial load off the utility to a point, and they can still sell more power. Then it depends on daily usage timing and size of storage. I've heard it takes more than a couple days to fully charge an electric car from a standard 15 amp 125vac plug... worst case scenario of course.

There are small communities along routes where chargers can be located, so they wouldn't actually be in the "middle of nowhere", likely close to a hotel, restaurant, etc.

If there is enough demand for power the utility might eventually upgrade their lines etc, as long as generation is keeping up. Most if not all our power is hydro so as long as it keeps raining and snow melts we should be ok.
 


This video documents Kyle Conner's trip to China to independently verify BYD's groundbreaking Flash Charging technology. Throughout the episode, he explores how this innovation aims to eliminate charging wait times and compete directly with the convenience of gas refueling (0:43 - 0:55, 35:46 - 35:53).

Key takeaways from the video:

  • Real-world verification: Unlike controlled lab demonstrations, Kyle tests the technology on a damaged Denza Z9 GT found in a parking lot, confirming it can charge from 30% to 97% in roughly 8 minutes with speeds reaching over 1 megawatt (2:30 - 2:35, 42:28 - 50:41).
  • Gen 2 Blade Battery technology: BYD is integrating their new Gen 2 Blade cell architecture across their entire lineup, allowing even budget-friendly models to achieve ultra-fast charging performance (4:54 - 5:33).
  • Simplified user experience: The chargers are designed for simplicity, utilizing a "plug-and-charge" system without complex interfaces, focusing on remaining time rather than raw kilowatt metrics (26:34 - 26:48, 37:26 - 38:51).
  • Infrastructure rollout: Diego Pareschi explains the strategy to deploy these chargers across Europe and Asia, which includes retrofitting existing sites to quickly establish a pervasive, high-speed charging network (9:18 - 11:49, 17:44 - 18:47).
  • V2G Capabilities: The system supports high-power vehicle-to-grid (V2G) discharging at 200 kW, allowing energy to be returned to the storage system, which adds to the efficiency of the charging parks (29:37 - 29:58).
 
200 KW? Hold my beer and WATCH THIS!

PLEASE LOG IN TO GET RID OF THESE ADS!
 
Plenty of shots fired in that, and they're not wrong. Tesla has seemed to just stopped innovating when it comes to charging, and charging times have gotten longer for their vehicles, not shorter.

I like the approach of focusing on time rather than kwh, putting it in plain language how long it's going to take and having that being the focus.

It's sad that we're going to be in last and it won't even be close while almost the entire rest of the world will benefit from advances like this that BYD and others are deploying.
 
  • Like
Reactions: osu1991
The word of the day is

HATE!

How so? You're happy that there appears to be no effort to make these same strides in our xenophobic EV ecosystem in the US? That if anything we're regressing while the rest of the world is advancing?

No hate required, but we see if anything you've brought your blind devotion to Tesla to the discussion and nothing else.
 
Can you document:
"charging times have gotten longer for their vehicles, not shorter."


"our xenophobic EV ecosystem in the US"
Plenty on the streets, plenty still selling. Specious.


"you've brought your blind devotion to Tesla to the discussion and nothing else."
Really wanna defend that? Blind accusations do not help the discussion. Do you often make accusations against people that hold different opinions than yours?
 
Charging regression - LFP-equipped Model 3 and Model Y trims have documented lower peak charge rates than the 2170 variants they replaced. Kyle mentioned it (35:40) in the video you didn't watch that you're getting defensive over.

Xenophobic ecosystem - a 100-145% tariff wall keeping BYD out of the US market is the definition of a managed / protectionist market. "Plenty on the streets" describes the outcome of that policy, not a rebuttal to it. The video shows a damaged test car charging 30-97% in 8 minutes at 1MW+ in a parking lot. Americans cannot buy that. Not because the market rejected it - because policy prevents it.

US: 19 long-range EV models, avg $83K. China: 130 long-range EV models, avg $44.5K, with megawatt charging in active rollout.

I don't like Tesla, but what I hate is that American consumers are being priced out of better technology to protect an industry that still isn't closing the gap - including Tesla.

PLEASE LOG IN TO GET RID OF THESE ADS!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Foxbat and osu1991
US: 19 long-range EV models, avg $83K. China: 130 long-range EV models, avg $44.5K, with megawatt charging in active rollout.
Are you saying that there are only 19 long-range EVs available in the United States, or that there are only 19 long-range EVs from U.S. manufacturers? I am assuming you meant the latter. But you could also mean only 19 long-range EVs made in the United States. And even then, what constitutes a "model"? Do you say the Model 3 Standard RWD is a different model than the Model 3 Premium RWD? Or, are you saying all Model 3 count as just one "model"?

Let's count:
  1. Tesla Model 3
  2. Tesla Model Y
  3. Tesla Model S (still available, technically)
  4. Tesla Model X (same as above, to a lesser degree)
  5. Tesla Cybertruck
  6. Chevrolet Bolt
  7. Chevy Equinox EV (technically, made in Mexico)
  8. Chevy Blazer EV
  9. Chevy Silverado EV
  10. Cadillac Optiq (like the Equinox EV, technically made in Mexico)
  11. Cadillac Lyriq
  12. Cadillac Vistiq
  13. Cadillac Escapade IQ
  14. Cadillac Celestiq
  15. GMC Hummer EV Pickup
  16. GMC Hummer EV SUV
  17. GMC Sierra EV
  18. Ford Mustang Mach-E (technically, made in Mexico)
  19. Dodge Charger Daytona
  20. Jeep Wagoneer S
  21. Jeep Recon
  22. Lucid Air
  23. Lucid Gravity
  24. Rivian R1S
  25. Rivian R1T
  26. Rivian R2 (just starting deliveries)
  27. Slate Pickup (well, maybe not right now, just yet)
So, right there, more than just 19 EVs in the U.S. Marketplace from U.S. manufacturers. If you exclude the three on that list made south of the border, then it might be only fair to include the Hyundai/Kia EVs made in Georgia/Alabama and the Volvo/Polestar EVs made in South Carolina (and maybe the VW ID.4 while it's still being made in Tennessee).
 
  • Like
Reactions: navychop
Long range EVs, was a reference to this article - Chinese Electric Cars Are Leaving American Automakers in the Dust

And I butchered that quote as I put together the reply:

As I document in my recent article published in Science, nearly half of all new cars sold in China in 2024 were electric, compared to less than 10 percent in the U.S. Chinese manufacturers now offer 41 different EVs with driving ranges above 300 miles on a single charge, with an average price of $44,500. The United States? Just 19 models, with an average price of $83,100. And while the U.S. does offer 4 models under $40,000 (with an average range of 169 miles), China offers 130 models, with an average range of 239 miles.​
 
  • Like
Reactions: Foxbat

Projects

Volcanic Eruptions

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Total: 0, Members: 0, Guests: 0)

Latest posts