Two children were filmed using the suspended cables of a BYD Megawatt Flash Charger as swings at a public charging site in Nanning, Guangxi, on October 2. The footage, recorded during China’s National Day holiday, shows them holding the connectors with their feet off the ground while adults watched and filmed. BYD said on October 4 that such use is prohibited and sent maintenance teams to inspect the station.
The company also plans to strengthen monitoring and conduct more on-site inspections following the video’s circulation on Chinese social media. The charger uses overhead, liquid-cooled cables because of the weight and demands of high-current charging. Its connector weighs about 3–5 kg, and a spring-loaded mechanism on a T-shaped overhead rail helps users handle the cable.
The report says the immediate electrical hazard is considered limited while a connector is not attached to a vehicle: the main contactors stay open until connection and safety checks are complete. The greater concern is repeated swinging, which could put unusual sideways strain on the rail, supports, joints and the cable’s internal conductors or cooling channels. Damage may not be visible from the outside, and a connector coming loose could also injure someone nearby.
BYD’s Megawatt Flash Charging network has more than 10,000 operating stations in China, with a domestic target of 20,000 by the end of 2026. The company’s international plan calls for 6,000 stations by the end of 2027, including 3,000 in the European Union and 300 in the United Kingdom.