BYD's latest edition of the Blade battery is anything but dull. In fact, a report from CarNewsChina.com said the company is planning to slash pack costs by 15% as the tech's second generation is rolled out this year.
Blade has already made headlines for passing intense heat, bending, and puncture testing. The second generation is expected to provide a 621-mile range and fully charge in an astounding 7.5 minutes, depending on the format, per CNC.
"I think in … 2025, BYD will introduce the new generation of our remarkable Blade Battery," BYD Central Asia Managing Director Cao Shuang said in November, as reported in an Electrek story about the news. Earlier reports from last year indicated a possible 2024 debut.
BYD has two formats: a short Blade and a long Blade. The latter, a more energy-dense version, is pegged for a price cut. The better density means the battery can store more power per pound. The short Blade will be priced similarly to, or higher than, the first-gen pack because of production costs. It has lower energy density but boasts faster charge speeds. The packs are made with lithium-iron-phosphate, or LFP, chemistry, all per CNC.
Top Speed reported that LFPs are being developed as a cheaper, safer, and longer-lasting option compared to lithium-ion units. Samsung and other well-known brands are at work on the tech, too.
It's all part of an inventive time for the battery sector that could lead to much cheaper electric vehicle prices as worldwide competition heats up.
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BYD introduced the first-gen Blade in 2020, according to CNC. The report noted that the tech's latest iterations come as Chinese battery juggernaut Contemporary Amperex Technology continues to introduce new tech with lower costs.
A 15% cost reduction would be a drop in the bucket compared to the pending price cuts forecast by Goldman Sachs. The firm expects battery expenses to drop 50% by 2026. The report stated that technological advances and better pricing on key battery components are two main reasons for the plummet.
To put the price expectations into perspective, CNET reported that a new battery that can last around 100,000 miles now costs between $10,000 and $20,000. EV research firm Recurrent estimated that by 2030 a pack replacement could be as low as $3,000 to $5,000.
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Tesla and BYD dominate data collector Statista's most recent leaderboard for global EV sales. Tesla's most popular EV, the Model Y, starts at $46,000, according to a Car and Driver report on the 2025 version.
However, BYD isn't available in the U.S. Electrek reported last year that the company isn't planning on expanding passenger EV sales stateside.
Regardless, lower battery prices and competition can help lower costs. Ford is even paying for at-home chargers and installations for EV buyers. That's not to mention the $7,500 in tax breaks that remain available for qualified models. Switching can save you up to $1,500 in gas and maintenance costs as well as prevent thousands of pounds of heat-trapping, health-hindering air pollution each year, according to U.S. government data and health experts.
As we head into the second half of the decade, the dropping of battery prices is viewed by industry experts as a boon for EV customers.
"With battery prices this low, parity between new EVs and new gas cars will happen as soon as 2026," Recurrent's Liz Najman wrote about lithium-ion packs.
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