Food and fuel on the go: BYD and KFC join hands for ‘nine-minute’ drive-thru EV charging stations in China
China’s electric vehicle (EV) giant BYD on Wednesday announced a partnership with fast food chain KFC to offer a one-stop feeding and refueling experience in less than 10 minutes to its users in the country. CNBC reported.
In a post on its official WeChat account, BYD announced that it was collaborating with fast food group Yum China Holdings, which owns KFC in China, adding that it was developing a “nine-minute” drive-thru network across Beijing. This will allow the EV giant’s customers to dine at KFC outlets while charging their cars.
The report suggests that the “nine minutes” branding refers to the fast-charging capabilities of the EV company’s second-generation Blade battery, which launched in March and is advertised as achieving a 97% charge in just nine minutes.
BYD-KFC collaboration
The EV maker has also launched a “smart order function” as part of the collaboration. Not only will this allow drivers to order directly from their vehicle’s on-board interface, but it will also display KFC one-stop transit locations along their route.
This smart ordering function will be rolled out to BYD’s passenger EV lineup, starting with the Fangchengbao Ti7 (Formula Leopard Titanium 7) SUV. CNBC reported.
BYD said in a statement that the merger aims to maximize the efficiency of on-the-go charging, which it identified as an ongoing pain point in EV ownership.
BYD completes 5,000 flash charging stations in China
Earlier this year, the company announced that it had completed its 5,000th flash charging station in China and now plans to build a total of 20,000 by the end of 2026.
BYD sales dropped
The electric vehicle maker’s rapid growth in Beijing has recently reversed, pointing to a broader slowdown in the country’s electric vehicle market. This change comes at a time of persistent oversupply and the withdrawal of state subsidies for new energy vehicles from 2026.
The Shenzhen-based automaker reported a nearly 30% year-on-year decline in first-quarter sales as increased competition from local rivals such as Stellantis and Zeekr-backed Leapmotor put pressure on its performance.
Additionally, the EV maker reported its first decline in annual profit since 2021 in its latest annual results. Its Hong Kong-listed shares are trading around 20% lower than in the same period last year.
Despite these setbacks, BYD continues to lead the Chinese EV market, with total domestic sales reaching 367,828 units in the first quarter. CNBC predictions.
KFC is China’s leading fast food giant
According to DaXue Consulting’s 2025 industry report, KFC is Beijing’s leading fast food giant. Yum China reported that as of December 2025, approximately 13,000 KFC stores were operating in 2,500 cities in China. By comparison, McDonald’s had approximately 7,500 outlets in mainland China.
While KFC China’s system sales increased by 5 percent in 2025 compared to the previous year, operating profit increased by 8 percent. The country’s fast food market is valued at approximately $176.3 billion, according to IBISWorld’s estimates, and analysts at DaXue Consulting predict continued growth, driven primarily by demand in lower-tier cities.
“Fast food is a firm part of daily life in China, especially in cities,” one analyst said, adding that long working hours, busy city life and the rise of delivery platforms in many cities in the world’s second most populous country.
Other BYD collaborations
According to Reuters, BYD collaborated with e-commerce giant JD.com on fast charging stations for electric vehicles in March. The duo introduced the first jointly developed fast charging station in the city of Shenzhen. The station included a convenience store, coffee shop and retail space operated by JD.com.
