BYD unveils faster-charging Flash and Blade technologies

Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD has showcased its Flash charging technology in China, ahead of a global roll-out of the technology.

At a launch event in Shenzhen, Wang Chuanfu, chairman and president of BYD, said: “The industry needs to address the lingering challenge of slow charging speeds and poor low-temperature charging performance if the remaining consumers are to commit to electric mobility.”

The company showed the charging technology, which delivers up to 1500kW through a single connector, alongside an upgrade of its Blade Battery.

The second-generation Blade Battery can charge rapidly from 20% to 97% in under 12 minutes, even at minus 20 degrees Celsius (minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit), delivering a driving range of 777 km (483 miles).

The company is aiming to achieve charging speeds similar to refuelling a traditional internal combustion engine vehicle.

BYD says that when its Flash and Blade technologies are combined, the systems deliver recharging speeds of a 10% to 70% refill in as little as five minutes, while 10% to 97% requires only nine minutes.

The new technology features a ‘Flash-Release’ cathode with a directionally engineered, multi-level particle-size architecture that enables dense packing and rapid deintercalation. 

In addition, a ‘Flash-Flow’ electrolyte uses AI-driven precision optimisation to deliver high ionic conductivity and fast ion mobility, while the ‘Flash-Intercalate’ anode has a multi-dimensional lithium-insertion site construction, allowing 360° 3D high-speed lithium-ion intercalation. Together, these technologies mean significantly reduced internal resistance, cutting heat generation at the source.

BYD has already installed 4,239 Flash Charging stations across China, and it expects to have 20,000 in operation by the end of this year.