BYD is launching a new Blade EV battery next year to power its next wave of vehicles. China’s EV giant confirmed the advanced batteries will unlock even more driving range for its next-gen electric cars.
It’s been over four years since BYD’s battery unit FinDreams launched the first Blade battery in 2020. The advanced LFP batteries propelled BYD to become one of the world’s largest EV and battery makers today.
BYD is currently the second largest global battery and EV manufacturer, behind CATL and Tesla, respectively. The batteries power not only BYD’s vehicles but also EVs from other leading automakers like Tesla, Toyota, Ford, Kia, and Hyundai.
The lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry is cheaper than traditional lithium-ion batteries on the market, enabling BYD to launch ultra-low-cost EV models, like the top-selling Seagull, which starts at under $10,000 (69,800 yuan) in China.
Despite its small size, BYD’s low-cost Seagull EV has a CLTC range of up to 252 miles (405 km) powered by its Blade battery.
Next year, BYD will launch its next-gen Blade battery, which will unlock even more range for upcoming EVs. The advanced new batteries are more compact, safer, and more efficient than ever.
BYD Dolphin Mini (Seagull) launch in Brazil (Source: BYD)
BYD to launch next-gen Blade EV battery in 2025
BYD’s managing director of Central Asia, Cao Shuang, confirmed in an interview with Chinese media CGTN (via CnEVPost) at COP29 that the new batteries will launch next year.
“I think in the coming years, 2025, BYD will introduce the new generation of our remarkable blade battery,” Cao said during the interview.
BYD Dolphin (left) and Atto 3 (right) Source: BYD
According to BYD’s executive, the new batteries promise to “enhance the driving distance of our vehicles.” Cao added that they will also have a longer life cycle for various reuse cases.
The company is working with local partners to use them for other applications like energy storage. Despite growing geopolitical tension, Cao said, “This commitment is unwavering, no matter what has happened globally in different countries.”
BYD’s wide-reaching portfolio (Source: BYD)
BYD is currently the world’s second-largest EV battery maker, behind China’s CATL, with a 16.4% share of the market through September 2024. According to CnEVPost, CATL holds a commanding 36.7% share.
While CATL has launched several new batteries, delivering more range and faster charging, BYD looks to shake things up with the next-gen Blade batteries due out next year.
Last week, BYD earned another “world’s first” title after its ten millionth new energy vehicle (NEV) rolled off the production line. BYD’s dominant sales run is heating up after it sold over 500,000 NEVs for the first time in October, its fifth straight record sales month.
Source: CnEVPost
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On today’s sunny side up episode of Quick Charge, we take a look at the latest from the world of solar power, and discuss Congressional Republicans’ plans to limit your energy independence by eliminating a critical tax credit for homeowners nearly ten years early. (!)
We’ve also got a quick review of a massive solar farm powering 200,000 homes in Indiana and the biggest solar project East of the Mississippi – both part of a record 98% of all new power generation and grid capacity introduced in 2025 coming from wind and solar. Those are jobs, those are lower utility rates, those are energy independence … so why are Congressional Republicans working to make that more expensive?
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If you want to read that EnergySage report on the state of the home solar industry, including news about battery energy storage system and V2H/V2G prices and financing trends, you can check it out for yourself, below, then let us know what you think in the comments.
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If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
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Alphabet’s Waymo unit has received approval to expand its autonomous ride-hailing service to more parts of the San Francisco Bay Area, including San Jose.
In March, the company submitted a request to the California Public Utilities Commission to gain approval for its latest passenger safety plan, a key step in gaining permission to operate driverless vehicles across a broader area. On Monday, the proposed expansion was approved, allowing for Waymo’s driverless coverage to extend from San Francisco down through the Peninsula.
“We’re very excited to share that the CPUC has approved our application to operate our fully autonomous commercial ride-hailing service in the South Bay and nearly all of San Jose!” the company wrote in a post on X on Monday. “While this won’t change our operations in the near-term, we’re looking forward to bringing the benefits of Waymo One to more of the Bay Area in the future.”
The $5 billion Empire Wind is back in business. The Trump administration’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has lifted its stop-work order for Empire Wind, a major offshore wind project off the coast of New York led by Empire Offshore Wind LLC, a subsidiary of Equinor. Construction is now allowed to resume.
Equinor CEO Anders Opedal welcomed the news, saying the restart reinforces Equinor’s commitment to delivering clean energy while supporting local economies and saving thousands of jobs. He also credited a wide coalition of officials for helping get the project back on track, including Trump, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, and congressional leaders like Senator Chuck Schumer and Representative Dan Goldman. Opedal also thanked the Norwegian prime minister and the minister of finance for raising the issue with the US administration.
Governor Hochul said in a statement that “countless conversations with Equinor and White House officials” had taken place.
Neither the BOEM nor the Department of the Interior has issued a comment.
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The Trump administration halted construction of the 54-turbine Empire Wind on April 16, but discussions between Equinor, regulators, and leaders at the federal, state, and city levels led to a reversal. That means Empire Wind can now push ahead with its goal of powering 500,000 New York homes with offshore wind energy.
“This project delivers on the energy ambitions shared by the US and New York by providing a vital new source of power to the region,” said Molly Morris, president of Equinor Wind US. She added that Empire Wind is boosting supply chain investments across the country, with activity in New York, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Texas, and South Carolina.
Equinor plans to reassess the project’s financials in the second quarter. The goal is still to install turbines offshore in 2025 and hit full commercial operation by 2027. The company says it will work with suppliers and regulators to minimize any delays from the month-long pause.
Empire Wind was first awarded its offshore lease in 2017 after a competitive federal process. It received its final construction green light in early 2024 following an extensive environmental review. Construction kicked off shortly after, and the project is now over 30% complete.
The US is a major market for Equinor. The Norwegian energy giant says it has invested around $60 billion in US energy projects since the early 2000s, more recently in low-carbon solutions, critical minerals, and renewables. Empire Wind is one of its flagship projects in the US.
If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
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