Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD has unveiled a next generation battery pack capable of charging from 10 percent to 70 percent in just five minutes, a breakthrough the company says could significantly reduce one of the biggest concerns associated with electric vehicles. According to the automaker, pushing the battery close to full capacity requires only about four additional minutes, bringing the total charging time to less than ten minutes.
The new system, known as the Blade Battery 2.0, is also designed to perform efficiently in extreme conditions. The company said the battery can charge from 20 percent to 97 percent in under 12 minutes even in temperatures as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius. The battery technology is expected to debut in the Yangwang U7, a full size luxury electric sedan.
However, the ultra fast charging capability comes with an important condition. The Yangwang U7 and other future vehicles using the new battery will only achieve the record charging speeds when connected to BYD’s proprietary Flash Charging EV stations, meaning the full benefit of the technology will depend on the availability of the company’s specialised charging infrastructure.
Industry analysts say the development could strengthen BYD’s position in the global electric vehicle market, where it competes with rivals such as Tesla and several emerging Chinese brands. The Shenzhen based automaker, once backed by Berkshire Hathaway led by Warren Buffett, is currently the world’s largest EV manufacturer and hopes the new battery technology will help attract customers and reinforce its lead despite recent fluctuations in sales.