BYD (比亚迪) will keep first‑generation Blade Battery in production, says Li Yunfei (李云飞)

Lead: choice, not obsolescence

BYD (比亚迪) plans to keep its first‑generation Blade Battery in production even after unveiling a faster second generation, it has been reported that the automaker's head of branding and PR Li Yunfei (李云飞) said at a post‑launch event. Why keep the old chemistry when the new battery and "flash‑charge" system promise dramatic charging times? BYD’s answer: customer choice and price flexibility — not forced obsolescence.

Second‑gen rollout and pricing

It has been reported that BYD formally introduced the second‑generation Blade Battery and its flash‑charging tech on March 5, claiming speeds such as 10%→70% in five minutes and 10%→97% in nine minutes. BYD says the new cells are already in mass production and will initially appear on ten models, reportedly including the Yangwang U8 (2026), Tengshi Z9 GT, Fangchengbao TAI 3 flash‑charge variant, and the Seal 07 EV. Li Yunfei acknowledged recent rises in battery raw material costs and said prices for the first wave of new‑tech models — which are largely new or heavily revised vehicles or dedicated flash‑charge editions — will be reset to reflect higher input costs.

Infrastructure push and wider context

On infrastructure, Li said BYD will work with provincial highway operators and large groups to roll out flash stations on expressways, and has devised a three‑space urban solution for existing public charging stations that reportedly avoids grid upgrades or excavation — one space for an energy storage unit plus a charging post, two for vehicles. BYD chairman Wang Chuanfu (王传福) has framed this as a national "Flash Charging China" strategy, aiming for some 20,000 flash stations by year‑end and a "Dream Station" program that will fast‑track installations when local drivers request them. The push comes as China accelerates EV scale and infrastructure build‑out amid intensifying global competition over electric‑vehicle supply chains and growing Western scrutiny of Chinese tech expansion.