Chinese electric vehicle (EV) giant BYD announced plans to launch its next-generation blade battery in 2025, promising to enhance vehicle range and extend battery life, according to a senior company executive.
“I think in the coming years, 2025, BYD will introduce the new generation of our remarkable blade battery,” said Cao Shuang, managing director of BYD Central Asia in European Auto Sales Division, during an interview with Chinese state media outlet CGTN at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan. “This will enhance the driving distance of our vehicles, and also extend the life cycle of the battery itself.”
BYD has made strides in sustainable battery development, focusing on life cycle management and reuse systems. “After the first life of the battery in vehicles, for example, they can be used for different types of applications, such as energy storage,” Cao noted.
The next-generation blade battery will follow BYD’s initial blade battery, launched in 2020, which prioritized safety using lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry. As the second-largest global producer of power battery cells, BYD has not updated the blade battery in recent years, even as competitors like CATL have introduced higher-performance batteries with rapid charging capabilities.
Industry insiders speculate that the forthcoming blade battery could offer significant improvements in charging and discharging rates. Reports suggest BYD’s luxury sub-brand Yangwang will integrate the new battery into its U7 sedan, expected to feature over 1,000 horsepower and target the ultra-luxury EV market.
