BYD To Launch Next-Gen Blade Battery With More Range
BYD is already the second-largest EV battery manufacturer in the world behind CATL
BYD is already the second-largest EV battery manufacturer in the world behind CATL
The electric supercar category is still in its nascent stage and the Chinese auto maker is looking to make giant strides to get an early-mover advantage. BYD YANGWANG U9 electric supercar has been launched in the Chinese market. We have not seen all that many contenders in this space even from the legacy supercar makers. The thought of an aerodynamically superior and insanely hard-accelerating supercar with an electric powertrain might seem counter-intuitive to many. But there are not many appropriate use cases of the instant torque delivery inherently associated with electric powertrains. Sure, the energy consumption will be high. But then again, supercar owners are often willing to make that sacrifice for the utmost driving pleasure. BYD’s high-end performance brand, YANGWANG caters to those potential buyers. U9 is its latest offering with a price of 1.68 million RMB ($237,000) in China. You might also like: EV Makers Reconsidering Their Ambitious Plans, Was Toyota Right All Along? BYD YANGWANG U9 Electric Supercar – Specs The specification table of the Chinese electric supercar is quite impressive. The EV is propelled using 4 electric motors (one on each wheel) to produce a combined output of a whopping 1,300 hp and 1,680 Nm of maximum power and torque. Underpinned by the e4 platform, the BYD DiSus-X Intelligent Body Control System allows a top speed of a spine-chilling 309.19 km/h and a 0 to 100 km/h (0-62 mph) acceleration time of just 2.36 seconds. This BYD DiSus-X Intelligent Body Control System allows the supercar to achieve a maximum adjustable suspension travel of upto 75 mm. The electric supercar possesses BYD’s trademark Blade Battery ensuring a maximum of 500 kW DC ultra-fast charging capabilities using 800 V architecture. The EV uses a Super Carbon-fiber Cabin and next-generation CTB technology for unprecedented body strength. In order to maximize the aerodynamic efficiency, the YANGWANG U9 comes with 12 sets of active and passive aerodynamic packages to reduce drag coefficient and enhance heat dissipation efficiency. A fine-tuned thermal management system takes care of the cooling needs of the electric sedan. You might also like: Are EVs With 1000 km Range Still A Distant Reality? Specs BYD YANGWANG U9 Platform e4 (800 V) Electric Motors 4 Power 1,300 hp (969 kW) Torque 1,680 Nm (1,239 lb-ft) Top Speed 309.19 km/h (192.12 mph) Acceleration (0-100 km/h) 2.36 seconds Charging 500 kW DC Specs BYD YANGWANG U9 Electric Supercar – Tech-Savvy Cabin & Features Just like the exterior, even the inside of the car is well thought out. It boasts myriad modern amenities and top-notch materials to reassure the owners that they are sitting in a high-end supercar. The cockpit is based on the DiLin150 intelligent platform which is powered by customized 4 nm 5G chips. Other notable features include intelligent race assistance, two 14-way adjustable front seats, a Dynaudio Evidence Series high-end audio system for an immersive experience, a 10.25-inch digital driver’s instrument cluster, a 12.3-inch infotainment display and an optional 10.25-inch third display for the passenger. You might also like: 7-Seat Hyundai Ioniq 7 Electric SUV To Go Into Production In July – Report Learn Electric Cars Says BYD has been coming up with entirely new sub-brands to rule the global automobile market. Its focus is unequivocally on electric cars. It briefly overtook Tesla in total EV sales in the last quarter of CY2023. The Chinese carmaker is clearly aiming to dominate the global market with its products. It has already commenced operations in many countries in Europe and Asia. What is the most advantageous aspect of the BYD brand is that it offers vehicles from the entry-level to supercars. There are dedicated brands under the BYD umbrella to single-pointedly focus on a particular domain. In fact, BYD cars are primarily the reason why Tesla offers so many discounts on its models, particularly in the Chinese market. The competitive prices of BYD cars are just too difficult to compete with. As we advance, it would be interesting to see how well people receive the Chinese EVs across the world.
BYD launched the Atto 3 for China and Australia back in February and the deliveries are finally set to commence in the coming weeks down under. BYD Atto 3 (originally called Yuan Plus in China) gained massive traction after the specs and prices were revealed making it the most affordable EV in Australia. The Chinese EV manufacturer finally received the necessary government approval to sell its EVs in the country complying with Australian Design Rules (ADRs). The Atto 3 is set to get the ball rolling in the Australian market which is still not all that privy to the EV revolution. You might also like: Sono Sion – Production-Ready Solar Powered Electric Car – Specs & More BYD Atto 3 Prices For the Australian market, the prices of the BYD Atto 3 are incredibly attractive. BYD Atto 3 Prices Standard Range AUD 44,381 Extended Range AUD 47,381 BYD Atto 3 Prices You might also like: 2022 Polestar 2 Electric Car – Range, Interior & Specs BYD Atto 3 – Specs BYD Atto 3 comes with the company’s patented Blade Battery. It is underpinned by BYD’s e-platform 3.0. Here are the details of all the specs of this budget EV. BYD Atto 3 Specs Battery 50 kWh & 60 kWh Range 320 km & 420 km Power / Torque 204 hp / 310 Nm Charging (80 kW DC Fast) 0-100% in less than 1 hour Acceleration (0-100 km/h) 7.3 secs BYD Atto 3 Specs You might also like: Tata Motors Unveil Avinya EV Concept Stepping Into Electric Future BYD Atto 3 – Interior & Features The interior of the BYD Atto 3 is uniquely designed. The layout looks quite premium although the quality of materials used in the cabin is not superb. On the door panels, you would find popped-out speakers on which the door handles are smartly installed, there is a 5-inch screen for the Driver’s Information Display, the centre console is decorated with a rather large 12.9-inch screen for the Infotainment System which has a revolving function for enhanced accessibility and convenience, physical buttons with tactile feedback between the seats, Steering Mounted Controls, ADAS Functions, Panoramic Sunroof, 360-degree Camera, Vehicle to Load (V2L) to charge external devices including homes during those long power cuts and more. BYD is already a prominent EV player in China and is constantly planning to expand its global presence. It has begun operations in parts of Europe including Norway. The Atto 3 will cater to the Australian market including New Zealand. Throughout this year (2022) and the next (2023), BYD aims to flourish its footprint in markets like Japan, Brazil, India, Europe and America. We shall wait to see the specs and prices of the BYD Atto 3 in various markets.
The Tesla 4680 battery and BYD Blade battery are two of the most technologically advanced options for EVs out there and various carmakers around the world use these. Tesla 4680 and BYD Blade battery are competing to outperform each other with distinctive features. The electric car scenario is playing out quite aggressively across the globe. Tesla is the biggest auto giant in the space, while the BYD is an upcoming worthy Chinese competitor. Tesla might have taken a lead in comparison to everyone, but the EV market is still in its nascent stage and there are myriad modern players and startups coming up. Not to mention, the traditional carmakers have been relentlessly working to upgrade themselves to adopt the inevitable. In this post, we shall take a deep dive into the comparison between Tesla’s battery (the upcoming 4680) and BYD’s popular Blade battery. You might also like: Is Electric Car Battery Safe, Fireproof, Waterproof and Short Circuit Proof? Tesla Battery (4680) Tesla is currently using NCA (Nickel-Cobalt-Aluminium) battery chemistry to power its range of products in North America. The battery cells are being produced by Panasonic in Tesla’s Gigafactory in Nevada. However, to keep the costs in check and reduce the use of Cobalt and Nickel, it is planning to switch to LFP (Lithium-Iron (Ferrous)-Phosphate) chemistry that powers Teslas in the Chinese, European and Asian markets already. There are quite a few benefits associated with LFP batteries. Benefits of using LFP Batteries This includes things like being much safer in terms of stability and explosiveness, reduction in the use of Cobalt and Nickel that are generally produced unethically, having environmental issues for being less recycle-friendly, and being much cheaper than the NCA or NMC (Nickel-Manganese-Cobalt), no issues with overcharging even in the long run. Cons of LFP Batteries The only downside is the less energy density. This translates to a lower range even with the same weight and packaging specifications. But Tesla has been infamous for changing the prices of its products in the U.S. frequently. Switching to LPF batteries would ensure better profit margins for the company. You might also like: What Is Vehicle To Load (V2L) & Which EVs Have This Feature? Tesla 4680 Battery Cells Back in 2020, Tesla had also announced a unique technology known as the 4680 battery cells. 4680 is derived from the dimensions of the cells; 46 mm x 80 mm. These dimensions are larger than the 2170 cells that Tesla uses in its vehicles currently. However, the upgradation to the beefier battery cells will bring additional benefits including a 16% increase in range, 5x more energy capacity, and a 14% reduction in cost per kWh. While these may be tall claims, the implementation is rather complicated. It was announced back in 2020 but the production hurdles and other issues have prevented it from actually being present in the cars today. We shall have to wait a bit longer to experience the 4680 battery cells in production cars. BYD Blade Battery The Chinese EV giant, BYD has stormed into the market with a ton of impressive products already, beginning to capture the international markets. EVs like BYD Han and Tang are already establishing a loyal customer base for themselves in the international markets. However, BYD’s Blade battery has gained tremendous traction from industry experts and customers alike. The Blade battery also uses the LFP chemistry but there are some unique and trademark features that set it apart from the regular LFP batteries that most manufacturers use. Features of BYD Batteries BYD implements its 26 years of experience in battery development to come up with this innovative technology. It has been using the Blade battery in its electric cars since last year (2021). The cells of this battery are large in size having a higher capacity than the regular cells. LFP cells, in general, don’t produce oxygen as the by-product of the reaction making them much safer and fireproof. The battery cells are arranged in such a way that it creates a mechanical disconnect between the cells so that even in case of an emergency or unfortunate scenario, the cells don’t propagate fire. There is no need to create modules for cells making the battery packaging efficient. Nail Penetration Test A significant testament to the safety of the Blade battery could be established using the Nail Penetration Test, which is the standard test to determine to quality, safety and strength of a battery. As the name suggests, a nail is penetrated through the surface of the battery. In this test, it was recorded that the battery neither emitted neither smoke, nor fire, and the surface temperature only reached 30 to 60-degree Celsius. The regular LFP battery, in the same test, reached temperatures upto 200 to 400-degree Celsius but didn’t catch fire. Under extreme test conditions, like being crushed, bent, heated in a furnace at 300-degree Celsius and overcharge by 260%, didn’t cause the battery to catch fire. Many major carmakers in the world are approaching BYD to use the Blade Battery in their cars to enjoy the price benefits associated with it. More importantly, the safety and recycling nature of these cells makes it an enticing proposition for the mass-market entry-level electric cars in various global markets. Hence, Tesla and BYD Blade battery setups make for an enticing proposition with distinct pros and cons. You might also like: Are Electric Car Chargers Universal – Types of Chargers