Let's go back to January 2020. when BYD first revealed the existence of the Blade Battery to the public. With just a few words, they captured everyone's attention: "The volumetric energy density is 50% higher than traditional lithium iron phosphate batteries, offering high safety and long lifespan, with a vehicle lifespan of over a million kilometers."
Then in March 2020. the Blade Battery was officially launched, boasting support for a driving range of over 1.2 million kilometers, a single charge providing 600 kilometers of range, and successfully passing rigorous nail penetration tests. From this point, the Blade Battery became widely known.
Now, it's been about a year since the Blade Battery was introduced, and as people have become more familiar with it, the "buzz" around this technology has somewhat faded. However, I'd like to point out that the true power of the Blade Battery is only just beginning to show.
Before we delve into the reasons, let's revisit some key facts about the Blade Battery. Essentially, it is still a lithium iron phosphate battery. Due to the material, it's inherently safer and longer-lasting than ternary lithium batteries. The unique blade-like structure further enhances these two advantages.
The biggest drawback of lithium iron phosphate batteries is their low energy density, resulting in shorter driving ranges compared to ternary lithium batteries. However, thanks to structural innovations, the Blade Battery significantly improves space utilization and energy density, thus overcoming this shortcoming to some extent.
1. Vehicle Integration: From Pure Electric to Hybrid
Returning to our question—why is the true power of the Blade Battery only just starting to emerge? First, let's look at the vehicles it's been integrated into. The BYD Han EV was the first model to feature the Blade Battery, followed by the BYD Song PLUS EV, Tang EV, and Qin PLUS EV.
But soon, BYD took it a step further. In the recently launched DM-i Super Hybrid models, we see the appearance of a "dedicated power-type Blade Battery." Highlights like a fuel consumption of 3.8L/100km and a range of 1200 kilometers owe much to this battery.
All three models featuring the Blade Battery and DM-i Super Hybrid technology are set to launch in March this year. BYD is essentially flexing its muscles, demonstrating the broad application prospects of the Blade Battery.
At the same time, BYD continues its research on lithium iron phosphate batteries. Currently, the Blade Battery system's energy density is 140Wh/kg, but BYD claims it can reach over 160Wh/kg in the future, with costs further decreasing.
2. Battery Supply and Demand: From Self-Sufficiency to External Supply
Due to production capacity constraints, the Blade Battery was initially limited to internal use. However, as production capacity increases, we can expect to see the Blade Battery in other brands' vehicles soon. BYD previously stated that vehicles equipped with their batteries for external supply are expected to launch in late 2021 or early 2022.
One of the hottest topics recently has been Hongqi. According to information from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the new Hongqi E-QM5 pure electric sedan will be equipped with "lithium iron phosphate batteries produced by Chongqing Fudi Battery Co., Ltd." Considering this factory is the sole producer of BYD Blade Batteries, many speculate that the new car may be using the Blade Battery.
Although neither party has confirmed this, it's clear that BYD is confident in supplying the Blade Battery externally, as they have repeatedly stated that nearly all major automotive brands are in talks with BYD, competing to use the Blade Battery. Moreover, there are reports that BYD's Blade Battery has already secured a deal with Hyundai, with a project team established and overseas supply expected to begin next year.
If BYD were to keep the Blade Battery exclusively for themselves, it might come across as self-promotion. However, if other brands are clamoring for it, it changes the narrative—it shows that even competitors recognize the technology's value. Currently, CATL is the leader in the domestic power battery market, focusing on ternary lithium batteries, though they also produce lithium iron phosphate batteries.
If BYD can achieve large-scale external supply of the Blade Battery, its impact would far exceed self-sufficiency. After all, BYD's overall vehicle production scale isn't very large, with a cumulative sales volume of 426.972 units in 2020. External supply would allow BYD to capture a larger share of the lithium iron phosphate battery market, challenge the dominance of ternary lithium batteries, and enhance its influence in the broader new energy market, potentially challenging industry leaders like CATL.
Final Thoughts
At this stage, the Blade Battery's biggest advantage, in my opinion, is its safety—a sentiment shared by many consumers. However, to truly compete with mainstream ternary lithium batteries, it still needs to overcome some bottlenecks. The first is energy density; 140Wh/kg is excellent, but CATL has already raised the energy density of its 811 batteries to 180Wh/kg.
The second is low-temperature performance. Online feedback suggests that the Han EV, equipped with the Blade Battery, experiences significant power loss in winter. While this phenomenon is common in the new energy sector, the low-temperature performance of lithium iron phosphate batteries is indeed inferior to ternary lithium batteries. If BYD can also address this shortcoming, it would undoubtedly be a major improvement.
Rather than calling the Blade Battery high-tech, it's more accurate to say it represents a practical technological breakthrough. Opening up the battery supply chain and selling these "affordable yet high-quality" batteries to other car manufacturers is when the Blade Battery will truly showcase its power. At that point, BYD might indeed become the absolute leader in the new energy vehicle market. What do you think? Feel free to follow "Cheyu Wujiang" and share your thoughts in the comment section below.
