BYD claims Atto 8 seven-seat electric SUV can charge from 10% to 97% in nine minutes

Charging time is among the biggest worries for many electric car drivers. Chinese carmaker BYD has now made a bold claim about charging its seven-seat electric SUV, the Atto 8. The company says that with the right charger, the car's battery can go from 10 per cent to 97 per cent in just nine minutes. It has also made clear that this speed will not be available at every charging station.

The Atto 8 was unveiled at the Paris Motor Show. It comes with a second-generation Blade battery pack of 115 kWh. The electric SUV is offered in two options, rear-wheel drive (RWD) and all-wheel drive (AWD).

According to BYD's claim, the Atto 8's battery takes five minutes to go from 10 per cent to 70 per cent. A full charge from 10 to 97 per cent can be done in nine minutes. In other words, the car can be nearly fully charged in the time of a short break during a journey.

There is a condition attached to this speed. Such fast charging needs both the second-generation Blade battery in the car and BYD's own Flash charger. The maximum capacity of this charger is 1,500 kilowatts. If the car is connected to fast chargers of other companies, the charging speed will depend on how much power that charger actually delivers. It cannot therefore be assumed that the battery will reach 97 per cent in nine minutes at any fast-charging station. BYD plans to set up 3,000 Flash charging stations in Europe by the end of 2027.

Temperature also affects charging. According to the company, at minus 30 degrees Celsius the battery takes 12 minutes to go from 10 to 97 per cent, three minutes more than the claim for normal conditions.

The two variants differ in power and range. The RWD variant has a maximum power of 448 bhp. The company claims it accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.8 seconds and can travel up to 651 km on a single charge.

The AWD variant has a maximum power of 754 bhp. According to the company, it reaches 100 km/h from a standstill in 4.6 seconds. Its stated maximum range is 602 km. The company also says actual range and charging time can vary with the conditions in which the car is used.

In size and features, the SUV is about 5 metres long and seats seven people in three rows. It has a 10.25-inch digital instrument display, a 26-inch head-up display (HUD) and a 15.6-inch central touchscreen infotainment system. The car has a large panoramic glass roof, and the seats in the first two rows offer heating, ventilation and massage.

Sales of the Atto 8 in the European market are expected to begin in the first quarter of 2027, but the price has yet to be officially announced. BYD has so far made no official announcement about launching the Atto 8 in India, so Indian customers will have to wait for this car.