BYD and Car Inc. Collaborate on 100,000 Rental Vehicles and Flash Charging
China (ANTARA) - BYD and Car Inc. have signed a letter of intent (LOI), an initial agreement document, for the purchase of 100,000 BYD vehicles for the rental fleet and the construction of BYD Flash Charging stations at rental locations across China, as part of a strategy described by both parties as the “Flash Charging China Strategy.”
Previously, BYD had collaborated with Car Inc. by providing 3,000 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) Qin Plus DM-i sedans in a pilot project at the beginning of 2025.
Car Inc., also known as Shenzhou Zuche in the Chinese market, then purchased nearly 30,000 BYD vehicles in the same year to expand its fleet with electric and hybrid vehicles from the manufacturer, according to the Carnewschina website on Monday (11/5) local time.
Car Inc. revealed that its company has more than 3,500 rental locations in China, including vehicle pickup facilities with staff and self-service options.
They claim to be China’s largest car rental company, with international rental firm Hertz as one of its major shareholders.
With more than 190,000 vehicles, the company stated on LinkedIn that its fleet is larger than the combined fleets of its 19 closest competitors in China.
The rental company has also previously partnered with Baidu Apollo, Baidu’s level 4 autonomous vehicle platform. In mid-2025, the two companies announced the world’s first autonomous vehicle rental product offering a driving experience with an automatic “driver” service. The service is planned to be based on Baidu’s Apollo Go autonomous ride-hailing platform.
Since its announcement in February 2026, BYD has been promoting the development of Flash Charging technology. The automaker regularly introduces the latest models supporting Flash Charging and is committed to building 20,000 Flash Charging stations by the end of 2026 in China.
According to China EV DataTracker, BYD recorded stable deliveries of between 250,000 and 300,000 vehicles per month from April to December 2025. Celebrations for the Lunar New Year in January and February 2026 caused an estimated drop in sales, but sales had not returned to previous levels by March.
Although it appears strong, these figures are said to mask the fact that BYD’s annual performance experienced a significant decline. Amid the largest sales slowdown in its history in China, BYD is under pressure to maintain the competitiveness of its products.
Flash Charging serves as BYD’s response to competitors developing battery-swapping technology, such as NIO and CATL’s Choco-SEB ecosystem. Fleet sales to rental companies are also seen as providing opportunities for BYD to introduce its vehicles and charging network directly to potential users who are still curious or hesitant.