Chinese battery giants BYD and CATL have announced competing ultra-fast charging technologies that could dramatically reduce EV charging times, with BYD claiming a five-minute recharge from 10% to 70% and CATL reporting a six-minute 27-second charge from 10% to 98%.
BYD, the world's largest electric vehicle maker, unveiled its Flash Charging technology, which it says can recharge an EV battery from 10% to 70% in just five minutes. The company also announced plans to build a network of Flash Charging stations across China capable of delivering peak power up to 1500 kW, according to BYD. These stations use buffer batteries to store energy, eliminating the need for high-voltage grid connections, BYD said. The technology is built around BYD's next-generation Blade 2.0 battery, which the company claims has a maximum charging power of 1500 kW.
CATL, the world's largest battery manufacturer, countered with its Shenxing battery, which major media reports say can charge from 10% to 98% in six minutes and 27 seconds. CATL claims the Shenxing battery has the lowest resistance of any commercial battery at 0.25 milliohms, enabling such rapid charging. At a press conference, CATL founder and CEO Robin Zeng stated that the boundaries of electrochemistry and materials science are still far from being exhausted. CATL's chief technology officer Gao Huan added that the company always delivers on its promises.
We always deliver what we promise.
BYD also revealed that production costs for the Blade 2.0 battery have been reduced by 15%, according to the company. The lower costs are expected to make ultra-fast charging more affordable. BYD's Denza Z9GT, equipped with a 122.5 kWh battery, is expected to cost around 100,000 Swiss francs, BYD said. The vehicle is one of the first models to feature the new charging technology.
Beyond ultra-fast charging, CATL is pushing the boundaries of range. The company has announced a new nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM) EV battery that it says can deliver 612 miles of range on a single charge, according to major media reports. Even more ambitious is CATL's 'condensed matter' battery, which the company claims offers 932 miles (1500 km) of range. These long-range batteries target premium electric vehicles and could reduce range anxiety significantly.
Both companies also highlighted cold-weather charging performance. CATL claims its Shenxing battery can charge from 10% to 98% in nine minutes at -30°C. BYD says its Flash Charging can charge from 20% to 97% in 12 minutes at the same temperature. The different starting and target percentages make direct comparison difficult, but both claim fast charging in extreme cold.
Several unknowns remain. It is unclear when BYD's Flash Charging stations will be available outside China, such as in the UK or Europe. The exact price of the Denza Z9GT in different markets has not been confirmed. Real-world charging speeds under normal conditions may differ from ideal lab results. The cost per kWh for using these ultra-fast chargers has not been disclosed. Additionally, it is not yet known which automakers will adopt CATL's Shenxing battery in production vehicles, or when such vehicles will reach the market.