BYD announced the rollout of its first Flash Chargers in Europe, capable of charging EVs in just 5 minutes. The company introduced its first chargers in the UK and Germany and promised to build 3,000 chargers across Europe and 300 across the UK by the end of 2027.

The company’s Flash Chargers aren’t exactly new, but they are new to European drivers. Just one of BYD’s Flash Charging stations can deliver up to 1,500 kW of charging power, which is three times more than Tesla’s V4 Superchargers.

Additionally, BYD plans to undercut the competition from Tesla and Ionity and offer cheaper fares. It plans to do that by leveraging batteries. These batteries will charge overnight during off-peak hours and provide cheaper electricity to consumers. Additionally, BYD believes it can charge more EVs throughout the day compared to the competition, which will push prices down even further.

Naturally, if you want to utilize BYD’s fast chargers to the fullest, you have to own one of BYD’s EVs equipped with the latest Blade Battery 2.0. This battery can already be found in some BYD EVs, but only one model sold in Europe is compatible with the Flash Chargers, and that’s the Denza Z9 GT. At least for now.

Just a 5-minute charge will refill the battery from 10% to 70%, while a “full” charge from 10% to 97% takes only 9 minutes. Additionally, the technology promises minimal performance loss in low-temperature environments.

Via

Audi is bidding farewell to its iconic 5-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with a new limited edition RS3. The RS3 Competition Limited will be available in Sportback and saloon body styles. Only 750 units will be built with prices starting at around $121,000.

The RS3 Competition Limited features a sporty body kit which comprises an aggressive-looking front bumper with large vents and dive planes, side skirts and a rear diffuser with dual exhausts. It has a low-set singleframe grille, vents behind the front fenders, a roof spoiler and 19-inch alloy wheels finished in Neodymium gold.

Inside, the limited edition RS3 gets black Nappa leather upholstery with Neodymium gold stitching and Dynamica inserts. The car comes with RS bucket seats and matte carbon fibre trim. The sporty steering wheel is wrapped in Alcantara.

Under the bonnet is Audi’s 2.5-liter inline 5-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that produces 388 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. Audi claims a 0-62 mph time of 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 180 mph.

The RS3 Competition Limited has all-wheel drive with a torque-vectoring rear differential. It is equipped with an RS Sports exhaust and a set of new manually adjustable coilover suspension instead of the adjustable dampers offered on the standard car.

Source: Audi