BYD has just solved charging speeds and promises over 1,000km range with its 2nd-gen Blade Battery
BYD’s momentum as an automaker is undeniable, and the Chinese in general have been pushing the boundaries in EV tech at frightening speeds. In fact, BYD has just announced its second-generation Blade Battery that not only promises four-digit range figures, but also the ability to charge from 10 to 70% in just 5 minutes.
The new Blade Battery has big gains over the previous model, with considerably higher energy density, better battery life and longevity, and improved safety, considering the scrutiny Chinese EVs have been facing regarding some alleged reports of self-combustion after accidents.
These batteries promise the ability of their vehicles to break over 1,000km of pure electric range under CLTC conditions, and that they will be debuting on several new cars—the Yangwang U7 ultra-luxury sedan with up to 1,006km of range, the updated Denza Z9 GT with up to 1,036km of range, the BYD Seal 08 flagship sedan, the BYD Great Tang flagship SUV, and the Song Ultra EV crossover.
The more important factor is that it enables BYD’s Flash Charging tech, which is a megawatt charger (up to 1,500kW), and will even work in extreme cold. It can also charge from 10 to 70% in just 5 minutes, and taking it from 10 to 97% takes up to 9 minutes. The extreme cold brings that up to 12 minutes. And as for why the odd 97% figure, BYD’s CEO, Wang Chuanfu, said that the remaining 3% should be saved for regenerative braking.
These megawatt chargers will be located within China for now. You can see these distinctive light green T-Shaped chargers, with a plan for around 20,000 flash charging stations to be set up within China this year alone. The company has implemented measures, such as installing reserve batteries at the stations, to reduce the strain on the power grid.
While it will take a while for these new BYD and Denza models with the second-generation Blade Battery to make their way to our country (the Denza Z9 GT being a possible exception), the insane range gains and the charging speeds alleviate the two biggest issues surrounding EV ownership.
Photos from BYD Auto
