Prime Highlights
- BYD unveiled Blade Battery 2.0, which can charge an EV from 10% to 70% in about five minutes.
- The battery will debut in the luxury electric sedan Yangwang U7, with the automaker promoting extremely fast charging and improved performance even in cold weather.
Key Facts
- The ultra-fast charging works with BYD’s Flash Charging stations,delivering up to 5 MW of power.
- The battery uses Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery (LFP)technology, which is cheaper than Nickel Manganese Cobalt Battery
Background
Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD has unveiled a new battery technology that could significantly reduce charging times for electric cars. The company said its Blade Battery 2.0 system can charge from 10% to 70% in around five minutes, with the battery reaching nearly full capacity in about four minutes more.
The battery pack will first appear in the company’s upcoming luxury electric sedan, the Yangwang U7. BYD claims the system can also perform well in cold weather. Even at temperatures of –20°C, the battery can charge from 20% to 97% in under 12 minutes.
However, the ultra-fast charging speed depends on a new charging system developed by the company. Vehicles equipped with the Blade Battery 2.0 can achieve the five-minute charging time only when connected to BYD’s Flash Charging stations, which can deliver up to 1.5 megawatts of power. These chargers are far more powerful than most public fast chargers in the United States and Europe, which typically reach about 350 kilowatts.
BYD said it has already installed about 4,200 Flash Charging stations across China and plans to add around 16,000 more by the end of the year. The company also plans to install grid-scale battery storage at the charging sites to reduce pressure on local power networks.
The new battery system uses lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry. Automakers increasingly favor LFP batteries because they avoid costly metals such as cobalt and nickel. According to BloombergNEF, LFP batteries currently cost about $81 per kilowatt-hour, compared with about $128 per kilowatt-hour for nickel manganese cobalt batteries.
Although LFP batteries usually offer lower energy density and shorter driving range, BYD believes faster charging could make them attractive for premium vehicles as well.
The Yangwang U7 is expected to deliver a driving range of just over 1,000 kilometers on China’s CLTC test cycle, which typically reports higher numbers than real-world driving tests. In practical conditions, the vehicle may travel a little over 400 miles on a single charge.
A major investment from Berkshire Hathaway, led by Warren Buffett, helped boost BYD in its early years, though the investment firm exited its stake in 2025.