BYD opens orders for its new flagship EV with over 1,000 km of range for under $40,000

This one's a car story, not a home-upgrade story, but it's worth a quick note for anyone weighing an electric vehicle alongside home energy upgrades like a heat pump or solar panels.

BYD has opened orders in China for its new flagship electric sedan, the Great Han, starting around $37,200. The car offers up to 1,008 km (about 626 miles) of range on a single charge, using a Chinese testing standard that tends to run higher than the EPA ratings used in the US. It comes in three versions, with the priciest all-wheel-drive model offering less range (546 miles) but more power. All versions use BYD's newer Blade Battery technology and can fast-charge from 10% to 70% in about 5 minutes.

For homeowners, the relevant point isn't the car itself, since it's not sold in the US, but the direction EV technology is heading: bigger batteries, faster charging, and lower prices are becoming more common worldwide. If you're planning an EV purchase alongside a home charger installation, or thinking about how solar panels and battery storage pair with an electric vehicle, it's a sign that charging speeds and battery costs keep improving industry-wide, even if this specific model won't be an option in US driveways.