Chinese carmaker BYD has revealed the first major update to its Blade battery in six years alongside a new 1,500kW Flash charger. The new second-generation unit can charge from 10 to 70 percent in just 5 minutes, reaching 97 percent in 9 minutes. Even in temperatures as low as -30deg C, known to affect charging efficiency, the carmaker claims that a top-up from 20 to 97 percent can be achieved in 12 minutes.
- New Blade battery improves energy density by 5 percent
- It features a high-speed channel to minimise internal heat generation
New BYD Blade battery and Flash charger details
The latest iteration of the Blade battery improves energy density by 5 percent over the first-generation unit. To minimise internal heat generation and maximise heat dissipation, it even features a high-speed channel and an advanced thermal management system. BYD chairman Wang Chuanfu stated that the new Blade battery-equipped Z9GT and U7 models, produced by the subsidiary brands Denza and Yangwang, respectively, now offer a range of more than 1,000km; more models across the other subsidiaries have also been launched with the new battery. The battery has also passed a series of safety tests that exceed China’s national standards.
As for the Flash charging stations, their T-shaped pulley design allows users to lift the connector effortlessly to either side of the vehicle while keeping cables clean and off the ground. These also benefit from BYD's Solar-Storage-Charging setup, which combines on-site solar power generation, battery storage and chargers into a single station. 20,000 Flash charging stations will be built across China, with global rollout set to begin by the end of 2026. As of March 5, BYD has set up over 4,000 Flash stations. The setup uses an integrated energy storage system that helps reduce stress on the power grid while allowing very high charging speeds.
EV adoption may see an uptick
The advancements essentially solve one of the key pain points with EVs – long charging wait times – narrowing the gap with traditional fuel filling times. Given the improvements in charging speeds brought to the table by BYD, EV adoption could receive a much-needed boost.
Currently, EVs account for about 5 percent of India’s car sales. It remains to be seen when BYD brings the second-generation Blade battery to the models it retails in our market, including the Atto 3, Seal, Sealion 7 and eMax 7. In fact, many Indian EV brands source batteries from BYD, and if introduced here, buyers will benefit from improved range and faster charging times.
Suraj Viswanathan
Lenny D'sa
Dipan Sur
Glenn Noronha
