Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD announced Thursday the debut of its advanced second-generation Blade Battery technology, featuring what company chairman Wang Chuanfu describes as “disruptive” charging capabilities in frigid conditions.
The battery breakthrough comes as BYD works to bounce back from recent declining sales figures while facing intensified competition in China’s electric vehicle marketplace.
Speaking from BYD’s Shenzhen headquarters, Wang demonstrated how the upgraded battery technology can power up from 20% to 97% capacity in under 12 minutes, even when temperatures drop to minus 20 degrees Celsius. This rapid charging provides vehicles with a driving range of 777 kilometers, equivalent to 483 miles.
According to Wang, the enhanced batteries feature improved energy density that allows BYD’s premium Denza Z9GT and Yangwang U7 vehicle models to achieve driving ranges exceeding 1,000 kilometers. The chairman noted that the battery systems have successfully completed safety evaluations that surpass China’s updated national standards.
BYD has set ambitious goals for expanding its “Flash Charging” infrastructure network to 20,000 stations by late 2026, with plans to install 2,000 of these charging points along highway corridors. The company reported having constructed over 4,000 charging stations as of March 5.
