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 that it was partnering with fast-food chain KFC to offer its users in the country a one-stop feeding and refuelling experience in less than 10 minutes, CNBC reported.

BYD, in a post on its official WeChat account, announced that it is collaborating with Yum China Holdings, the fast-food conglomerate that owns KFC in China, adding that it is developing a network of "nine-minute" drive-thrus across Beijing. This would allow the EV giant's customers to stop for meals at KFC outlets while they charge their cars.

The report suggests that the "nine-minute” branding refers to the fast charging capabilities of the EV company's second-generation Blade battery, which was launched by the company in March, and was advertised as achieving a 97% charge in just nine minutes.

BYD-KFC collaboration

As part of the collaboration, the EV maker also launched a "smart ordering function." This will not only allow drivers to place orders directly from their car’s onboard interface, but also display the locations of KFC one-stop drive-thrus along their route.

This smart ordering function is set to be rolled out to BYD’s passenger EV lineup, starting with the Fangchengbao Ti7 (Formula Leopard Titanium 7) SUV, CNBC reported.

In a statement, BYD said the tie-up aims to maximize the efficiency of the on-the-go charging, which it described as a persisting 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 is now planning to construct a total of 20,000 by 2026 end.

BYD sales slump

The EV maker's rapid growth in Beijing has recently gone into reverse, indicating a broader slowdown in the country's EV market. The shift comes amid persistent oversupply and the withdrawal of government subsidies for new energy vehicles starting in 2026.

The Shenzhen-based automaker reported roughly a 30% year-on-year decline in first-quarter sales, as intensified competition from domestic rivals such as Leapmotor, backed by Stellantis, and Zeekr put pressure on its performance.

Additionally, in its latest annual results, the EV maker reported its first drop in yearly profits since 2021. Its Hong Kong-listed shares are trading about 20% lower compared with the same time last year.

Despite these setbacks, BYD continues to lead China’s EV market, with total domestic sales reaching 367,828 units in the first quarter, based on CNBC estimates.

KFC is China's leading fast-food giant

According to the 2025 industry report by DaXue Consulting, KFC is Beijing's leading fast-food giant. Yum China reported that by December 2025, nearly 13,000 KFC outlets were operating across 2,500 cities in China. In comparison, McDonald's had around 7,500 outlets in mainland China.

KFC China’s system sales grew five percent year-on-year in 2025, while operating profit increased by 8%. The country’s fast-food market was valued at approximately $176.3 billion, based on estimates from IBISWorld, with analysts at DaXue Consulting forecasting continued expansion, particularly driven by demand in lower-tier cities.

An analyst noted, "fast food is firmly part of everyday life in China, especially in cities," adding that long working hours, dense urban living, and the rise of delivery platforms in many cities across the world’s second-most populous country.

Other BYD collaborations

According to Reuters, BYD in March collaborated with e-commerce giant JD.com on fast-charging stations for electric vehicles. The two unveiled the first ​jointly developed fast-charging station ​in the city of Shenzhen. The station featured a convenience store, coffee shop, ​and retail space run ​by JD.com.