BYD’s new Qin Max EV with Flash Charging spotted for the first time

This one's a car story, not a home upgrade one, so it doesn't touch anything a homeowner would act on around the house. Still, here's what's happening: Chinese automaker BYD has been spotted testing a new electric sedan called the Qin Max, a bigger version of its existing Qin L model. Photos of the car driving with minimal camouflage, plus interior shots, leaked online after BYD's own teaser images.

The headline feature is fast charging. BYD says the car's battery and charging system can go from 10% to 97% charged in nine minutes, with a 10% to 70% charge taking just five minutes. It will come in both fully electric and plug-in hybrid versions, with the electric version offered with two battery sizes giving a claimed range of 330 or 391 miles on China's CLTC test cycle (a Chinese standard that tends to report higher numbers than the US EPA rating). The car is close in size to a Tesla Model 3.

None of this is available in the US yet, and no price or launch date has been announced. It's a preview of technology moving in China, where BYD's smaller Qin L sold over 10,000 units in its first week after launching at about $17,500. For a homeowner thinking about their own electric vehicle and home charging setup, this is worth filing away as a sign that charging speeds keep improving, but there's nothing here to act on for your own house right now.