BYD has launched Flash Charging, a 1,500kW system that works with its second-generation Blade Battery to charge from 10% to 97% in nine minutes. The updated LFP battery offers 5% higher energy density and strong cold-weather performance. Over 4,200 stations are live in China, with 20,000 planned by end of 2026.
BYD has unveiled a 1,500kW charging system and an updated version of its lithium iron phosphate (LFP) Blade Battery that together can replenish a battery from 10% to 97% in nine minutes.
The Shenzhen-based company revealed Flash Charging and Blade Battery 2.0 at an event in China, where it also confirmed plans to install 20,000 Flash Charger stations across the country by the end of 2026. It has already deployed 4,239 stations as of early March.
A 10% to 70% top-up takes five minutes, BYD says, and the system retains its performance in extreme cold. At -30°C, a 20% to 97% charge takes 12 minutes — conditions that would typically cause a sharp drop-off in charging speeds with conventional battery and charger pairings.
Blade Battery 2.0, developed over six years, pairs the faster charging capability with a 5% increase in energy density over the original Blade Battery. BYD says this enables ranges of more than 621 miles (1,000km) on the Chinese CLTC test cycle.
The battery uses what BYD calls a FlashPass Ion Transport System, built around three core elements: a cathode with multi-level particle-size architecture for rapid deintercalation; an electrolyte using AI-driven optimization for high ionic conductivity; and an anode with a multi-dimensional lithium-insertion site construction enabling 360° lithium-ion intercalation.
Further anode refinements, including graphite particles aligned perpendicular to the electrode plane, reduce lithium-ion transport resistance and contribute to the energy-density gain.
BYD says it has also re-engineered the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer using molecular-level engineering. The result is a thinner but denser layer with what the company describes as dynamic self-repairing capability.
On safety, BYD says Blade Battery 2.0 passed what it claims is the world’s first simultaneous flash charging and nail-penetration test, with no thermal runaway, smoke, or fire after 500 fast-charge cycles. A separate test forced the short circuit of four cells at once, producing temperatures above 700°C with no fire or explosion. Capacity degradation is reduced by 2.5% compared with the first-generation Blade Battery.
The Flash Charger itself features a T-shaped overhead design intended to keep the connector and cable off the ground, addressing common complaints about conventional stations. A pulley-based, rail-sliding cable system accommodates vehicles with charge ports in different positions.
To support rapid deployment across varied locations, each station is paired with an energy storage system that charges from the grid at lower speeds and acts as both an energy reservoir and power amplifier, helping to manage grid constraints.
Wang Chuanfu, chairman and president of BYD, said the industry must tackle slow charging speeds and poor low-temperature performance to convert the remaining internal combustion engine (ICE) buyers to electric vehicles (EVs).
The first model to bring Flash Charging and Blade Battery 2.0 to Europe will be the Denza Z9GT, a shooting-brake grand tourer from BYD’s premium brand. European specifications are expected in the coming weeks.
BYD has committed to a global rollout of its Flash Charger stations, though it has not yet published a timeline or location details for markets outside China.
