BYD launched the Blade Battery, a development intended to mitigate concerns about battery safety in electric vehicles. The Blade Battery has been developed by BYD over the past several years. The individual cells are arranged together in an array and then inserted into a battery pack. Due to its optimized battery pack structure, the space utilization of the battery pack is increased by more than 50% compared to conventional lithium iron phosphate block batteries using modules.

While undergoing nail penetration tests, the Blade Battery emitted neither smoke nor fire after being penetrated, and its surface temperature only reached 30 to 60 °C. Under the same conditions, a ternary lithium battery exceeded 500 °C and violently burned, and while a conventional lithium iron phosphate block battery did not openly emit flames or smoke, its surface temperature reached dangerous temperatures of 200 to 400 °C.

Test results for three types of EV power batteries after nail penetration, with eggs used to indicate the temperature on the battery’s surface.

This implies that EVs equipped with the Blade Battery would be far less susceptible to catching fire, even when they are severely damaged.

The Blade Battery also passed other extreme test conditions, such as being crushed, bent, being heated in a furnace to 300 °C and overcharged by 260%. None of these resulted in a fire or explosion.

He Long, Vice President of BYD and Chairman of FinDreams Battery Co., Ltd., described the four distinct advantages of the Blade Battery including a high starting temperature for exothermic reactions; slow heat release; low heat generation; and its ability to not release oxygen during breakdowns or easily catch fire.

In the past few years, many EV manufacturers have fallen into a competition for ever-greater cruising range. When the range becomes the prime factor to consider, this focus is then transferred to power battery makers, leading to unreasonable pursuits of “energy density” in the battery industry. It is due to this unpractical focus on “energy density” that safety has been sidelined from power battery development. BYD’s Blade Battery aims to bring battery safety back to the forefront, a redirection from the industry’s focus on this crucial aspect, the company said.

The Han EV, BYD’s flagship sedan model slated for launch this June, will come equipped with the Blade Battery. The new model will lead the brand’s Dynasty Family, featuring a cruising range of 605 kilometers (376 miles) and an acceleration of 0 to 100km/h in 3.9 seconds.

He Long said that many vehicle brands are in discussion with BYD about partnerships based on the technology of the Blade Battery. He added that BYD will gladly share and work with global partners to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes for all industry players.