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 -30 degrees Celsius, known to affect charging efficiency, the carmaker claims a 20 to 97 percent charge can be done 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 Denza and Yangwang subsidiary brands, respectively, now offer a range of more than 1,000km; more models across the other subsidiaries were also launched with the new battery. The battery has also passed a series of safety tests that exceed China’s national standards, BYD claims.
Speaking of 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. 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 built more than 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, that of long charging wait times, and brings it close to traditional fuel filling time. Given the improvements in charging speeds brought to the table by BYD, EV adoption could receive a much-needed boost.
The current EV penetration in India, for reference, stands at about 5 percent. It remains to be seen when BYD brings the second-generation Blade battery to the models it sells here, 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.
