BYD Blade Battery Now Entering The European Market

The first Blade Battery-powered vehicle in Europe is the Tang SUV.

BYD Blade Battery production

Mark Kane

By: Mark Kane

Mar 17, 2021 at 5:10pm ET

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With the launch of the the Tang model in Norway, BYD is also introducing in Europe its new Blade Battery - lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) chemistry in a cell-to-pack (CTP) system.

This new type debuted in China several months ago in the BYD Han model and is known for combining several important advantages, including improved affordability (because of lack of modules), longevity (expected 3,000 charging/discharging cycles or 1.2 million km (nearly 750,000 miles) of mileage), decent charging capability (30-80% in 30 minutes) and great safety.

BYD explains that the batteries survived:

"a stringent nail-penetration test confirmed the Blade Battery’s surface temperature reached a remarkably low 30º - 60º C while emitting no smoke or fire"
"300º C furnace test and 260% overcharging test, neither of which resulted in fire or explosive response"

Those are results usually not available in the case of most of the other lithium-ion chemistries, like the most popular NCM, NCA.

BYD Blade Battery production

BYD Europe Managing Director, Isbrand Ho said:

Our new Blade Battery is a game-changer for the EV industry, our highly skilled team of engineers have worked tirelessly to deliver even higher levels of safety – and this is a crucial factor for passenger car buyers. The Blade Battery, is the culmination of over 25-years of experience in rechargeable battery innovation, combining the latest technologies with the latest in creative thinking and production techniques.”

We are interested to see when BYD will start using those new cells also in electric buses, which also might lower their cost.

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The Blade Batteries are produced in Chongqing, China, where BYD invested 10 billion yuan (€1.3 billion) to achieve an annual output of 20 GWh.

BYD Blade Battery general info (see unveiling here):

lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) chemistry
"The Blade Battery refers to a single-cell battery with a length of 96 cm, a width of 9 cm and a height of 1.35 cm, which can be placed in an array and inserted into a battery pack like a blade"
cell-to-pack (CTP) system: skips the module stage through using thinner and longer cells (designed to become structural parts - beams - of the pack)
about 50% greater volumetric energy density compared to conventional LFP battery pack
the batteries take 60% of pack volume instead 40% in conventional system
high longevity of 3,000 charging/discharging cycles or 1.2 million km (nearly 750,000 miles) of mileage
high safety - BYD showed the results of a nail penetration test - of NCM, LFP and Blade Battery cells, in which the Blade Battery "emitted neither smoke nor fire after being penetrated, and its surface temperature only reached 30 to 60°C"
reduced cost compared to conventional LFP battery pack
can provide range comparable to ternary lithium batteries (NCM)
BYD Han is rated at up to 605 km (376 miles) NEDC
can be charged from 10% to 80% of its full capacity within 33 minutes