BYD reveals new battery that can recharge from 10–97 per cent in ten minutes

The world’s largest EV manufacturer has revealed its second-generation Blade battery alongside a new ultra-fast charging system.

BYD claims its latest Blade 2.0 lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery and new ‘Flash Charging’ technology together represent the fastest battery and mass-production EV charging system in the world. The new charger is capable of delivering up to 1500kW of power, allowing compatible vehicles to charge from 10–70 per cent in around five minutes, and from 10–97 per cent in under 10 minutes.

What’s arguably more impressive are the battery and charger’s cold-weather capabilities. BYD says the system can charge from 20–97 per cent in 12 minutes even at –30°C, only a three minutes slower than in normal temperatures. The company also claims the new battery offers five per cent higher energy density and a longer lifespan than the first-generation Blade battery.

In a video posted to China’s social media platform Weibo, BYD demonstrated the technology using a Denza Z9GT, which charged from 9 per cent (showing an estimated 93km remaining) to 97 per cent in 9 minutes and 51 seconds.

After the demonstration, the vehicle’s dashboard displayed an estimated driving range of 1,008km. However, this figure is likely based on the China Light-Duty Test Cycle (CLTC), which tends to produce more optimistic results than the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP) commonly referenced in New Zealand.

The company says more than 4,000 Flash Charging stations have already been installed in China, with plans to expand that to 20,000 by the end of the year.

While these charging speeds were achieved using BYD’s latest-generation chargers, the company claims the Blade 2.0 battery can also improve charging speeds by around 30–50 per cent on existing fast chargers in its home market.

The first international model expected to feature the new 2.0 Blade battery is the Denza Z9GT shooting brake, which is scheduled to launch in Europe later this year.

We don’t know when the new-generation battery will arrive in New Zealand, but as BYD plan to launch 15 new models this year, we might not have to wait long.