Why Australia Is a Tough Proving Ground

In this episode of The Everything Electric Podcast, Robert Llewellyn speaks with Sajid Hasan, Chief Product Officer for BYD Australia and New Zealand, about BYD's meteoric global growth, breakthrough EV technology, and why Australia is one of the most important proving grounds for the future of electric mobility. From BYD's LFP Blade Battery and DMO Super Hybrid platform to the rollout of 1-megawatt "flash chargers" capable of adding 400km in just five minutes, Sajid reveals the innovations driving the brand's incredible success — and how they're changing the automotive industry forever. Robert also discovers how BYD has overtaken Tesla in EV sales in Australia, achieved millions of NEV deliveries worldwide, and is pioneering Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology that can turn your EV into a mobile power plant for your home. 0:00:00 - Introduction 0:00:47 - Sajid Hassan, BYD Australia& New Zealand 0:01:03 - Australia as an EV "Test Bed" and Export Market 0:01:43 - BYD's History and Global Scale 0:03:46 - The Staggering Size of BYD 0:05:06 - Why Right-Hand Drive Australia is a Key Market 0:06:33 - Australia as a Competitive "Proving Ground" 0:08:00 - Australia's Imported Car Market & Rise of Chinese Brands 0:10:45 - The Everyday User Experience: BYD Owners Who Just Drive 0:11:48 - EV Adoption Rate and Achieving Price Parity in Australia 0:12:59 - Battery Longevity, Vehicle Warranty, and Consumer Fears 0:14:04 - Deep Dive: The Benefits of BYD's LFP Blade Battery 0:14:50 - BYD: A Battery Company That Started Making Cars 0:15:37 - BYD's Vertical Integration (Semiconductors, Mines, etc.) 0:16:03 - The Future: V2G & Cars as "Mobile Power Plants" 0:16:46 - BYD's V2G Trial with Origin Energy and Amber in Australia 0:18:41 - Legislative Barriers Slowing V2G Adoption 0:20:49 - BYD's EV Sales Leader Status in Australia (vs. Tesla) 0:21:56 - The BYD Shark Ute and the DMO Hybrid Platform 0:23:19 - Explaining the "Electric First" DMO Super Hybrid 0:27:43 - The BYD Shark's Initial Success in the Ute Segment 0:28:31 - Addressing the PHEV Charging Misconception 0:30:35 - Servicing and the Legacy Dealership Model 0:31:59 - BYD's Rapidly Expanding Dealership Network (80+ Sites) 0:32:26 - Lower Maintenance Costs of Electric Vehicles 0:34:36 - The Future of Charging: BYD's 1 Megawatt "Flash Chargers" 0:35:54 - 400km Range in 5 Minutes: Charger Speed Comparison 0:37:02 - How Large Battery Packs Support Megawatt Charging 0:38:07 - Which Future BYD Model Will Get Megawatt Charging? 0:38:46 - The Quiet Revolution on China's Streets 0:41:41 - The Challenge of Loud ICE Vehicles in Australia 0:43:25 - Shifting Consumer Attitude and the "First Drive" Effect 0:44:39 - The Synergy of Solar Panels and EVs in Australia 0:46:50 - Have EV Costs Reached a Plateau? Battery Chemistry's Role 0:49:03 - Levelling Up: More Tech, Range, and Luxury for the Same Price 0:50:32 - Final Thoughts: The Pace of Evolution in the Auto Industry Why not come and join us at our next Everything Electric expo: https://everythingelectric.show Check out our sister channel Everything Electric CARS: https://www.youtube.com/@fullychargedshow Support our StopBurningStuff campaign: https://www.patreon.com/STOPBurningStuff Become an Everything Electric Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/fullychargedshow Buy the Fully Charged Guide to Electric Vehicles & Clean Energy : https://buff.ly/2GybGt0 Subscribe for episode alerts and the Everything Electric newsletter: https://fullycharged.show/zap-sign-up/ Visit: https://FullyCharged.Show Find us on X: https://x.com/Everyth1ngElec Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/officialeverythingelectric To partner, exhibit or sponsor at our award-winning expos email: commercial@fullycharged.show Everything Electric MELBOURNE - Melbourne Showgrounds 14th, 15th & 16th November 2025 Everything Electric SYDNEY - Sydney Olympic Park 6th, 7th & 8th March 2026 EE NORTH (Harrogate) - 8th & 9th May 2026 EE WEST (Cheltenham) - 12th & 13th June 2026 EE GREATER LONDON (Twickenham) - 11th & 12th Sept 2026 #fullychargedshow #everythingelectricshow #homeenergy #cleanenergy #battery #electriccars #electric-vehicles-uk #byd #tesla #australia