BYD aims to cut EV battery costs by 15% with its new Blade battery launching in 2025
An EV battery price war is heating up. BYD is launching its next-gen Blade EV battery next year, promising to unlock more range and faster charging at a significantly lower cost.
BYD to cut EV battery costs with new Blade unit
Everyone is talking about China’s EV price war, but competition in the battery market is intensifying. BYD is the world’s second-largest EV battery maker behind CATL, but its new tech could help close the gap.
BYD’s managing director of Central Asia, Cao Shuang, confirmed during an interview a few weeks ago that BYD will launch its next-gen Blade batteries in 2025. “I think in the coming years, 2025, BYD will introduce the new generation of our remarkable blade battery,” the executive said.
Cao explained that the new unit promises to “enhance the driving distance of our vehicles.” The new Blade batteries will feature higher energy density and faster charging rates.
According to the latest, they will also get a price reduction. A source close to the matter told CarNewsChina that BYD aims for a 15% cost reduction for the new Blade EV battery. The new unit will have an energy density of up to 210 Wh/kg with 16C peak discharge.
There will reportedly be two versions, one offering a lower energy density. BYD’s higher energy density (210 Wh/kg) Blade battery will support an 8C discharge rate and 3C charge rate.
With 160 Wh/kg energy density, the short blade format will offer a discharge rate of 16C and an 8C charge rate with less resistance.
The sources claimed that BYD plans to reduce the cost of the higher energy density unit by 15% compared to the current Blade battery, which offers around 150 Wh/kg energy density.
A global EV battery price war is picking up steam
“Everybody talks about the EV automaker price war, but no one talks about the battery makers price war, which is even more brutal,” the source said. The source claimed one of its customers meets monthly with suppliers to negotiate prices.
Meanwhile, rival CATL is already one step ahead. “CATL slashed the price of VDA-specs LFP batteries from 0.9 yuan/Wh two years ago to 0.35 yuan/Wh, which their sales team is currently promoting,” a source said.
Those batteries are designed for entry-level models ($20,000) with around 2C charging. According to the source, BYD’s new Blade batteries are designed as “premium LFP batteries that compete with NMC, but for LFP prices. “
CATL has launched several new EV batteries over the past few years, while BYD introduced the Blade back in 2020. With updated LFP batteries, CATL has been able to drive prices down. BYD looks to match it with the new Blade coming in 2025.
BYD and CATL are not the only ones expected to fuel the price war brewing in the EV battery space. According to Goldman Sachs Research, average global EV battery prices are expected to fall 50% by 2026 compared to 2023 levels.
Goldman forecasts the average battery price could fall to $80/kWh, down from $149 in 2023. At that level, EVs “would achieve ownership cost parity with gasoline-fueled cars in the US on an unsubsidized basis.”
BYD remained the world’s second-largest EV battery maker, with a 16.4% share of the market through September 2024. According to CnEVPost, CATL dominates the market with a 36.7% share.
After another record sales month in November, with over 500,000 new energy vehicles (NEVs) sold, BYD is on track to outsell Ford and Honda this year. BYD has now sold 3.7 million vehicles through the first 11 months of 2024 as it continues its impressive run.
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Zevtron, ParkMobile, and Athena Partners Strategy Group are together supporting charging site owners and EV drivers affected by Shell Recharge’s shutdown of its EV charger software.
Shell Recharge is discontinuing its Shell Sky software in third-party commercial EV chargers in the US and Canada. It will service third-party commercial fleet EV chargers until April 30; after that, it’s lights out, leaving hundreds of EV charging stations across the US inoperable.
Zevtron, ParkMobile, and Athena Partners Strategy Group is deploying Zevtron’s white-label EV charging software across the former Shell Recharge network to restore full operational capacity to these chargers.
“Shell’s exit has left hundreds of chargers effectively stranded,” said Chris Mckenty, SVP of sales & marketing at Zevtron. “Our goal is to rapidly restore these stations to full functionality while enhancing their capabilities with flexible branding, seamless payment options, and improved management tools.”
ParkMobile will extend its capabilities to process EV charging sessions so users can both park and charge. “Integrating EV charging parking sessions into ParkMobile simplifies access for millions of drivers who already rely on our platform,” said Andy Harman, vice president of sales at ParkMobile.
Athena Partners Strategy Group will work closely with cities, businesses, and property owners to deploy the new solution efficiently. “We see this as a major opportunity to not only restore EV charging infrastructure but also improve it for the long term,” said Nick Stanton, managing partner of Athena Partners Strategy Group.
The partnership says it’s a “turnkey solution to ensure uninterrupted service, enhanced user experience, and improved revenue potential.”
For more information on transitioning Shell Recharge EV chargers to the Zevtron-powered network,
contact Chris Mckenty at cmckenty@zevtron.com
Read more: Shell Recharge exits the US EV charger software market
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Environment
Volkswagen ID.4 breaks into the top 5 best-selling EVs in the US after sales surged in January
The Volkswagen ID.4 was the third best-selling EV in the US last month, trailing only the Tesla Model Y and Model 3. Volkswagen’s electric SUV made a comeback after sales surged over 650% in January.
Volkswagen ID.4 was the third best-selling EV in January
Although ID.4 sales fell by 55% last year after Volkswagen halted production and deliveries in September due to a recall over faulty door handles, the EV made a triumphant return in 2025.
Volkswagen sold 4,979 ID.4’s in the US last month, up 653% from January 2024. To put it in perspective, VW only sold 646 ID.4 models in the fourth quarter and just over 17,000 in 2024. At this rate, ID.4 sales are on pace to reach nearly 60,000 by the end of 2025.
According to Cox Automotive’s latest EV Market Monitor report, the ID.4 was the third best-selling EV in the US last month, behind the Tesla Model Y and Model 3.
The Honda Prologue and Tesla Cybertruck rounded out the top five. Combined, the top five selling EV models accounted for 54% of total sales in the US last month.
| Rank | Model |
| 1. | Tesla Model Y |
| 2. | Tesla Model 3 |
| 3. | Volkswagen ID.4 |
| 4. | Tesla Cybertruck |
| 5. | Honda Prologue |
Over 102,200 electric vehicles were sold in the US in January, up nearly 30% from January 2024. Although sales were down from the record 132,392 sold in December 2024, a drop was expected over typical seasonal trends.
Tesla doesn’t provide a breakdown of US sales, so we will not know exact sales numbers until registration data is released.
Honda’s electric SUV continues to take the market by storm, with 3,744 Prologues sold in January. After delivering the first models last March, the Honda Prologue became the seventh best-selling EV in the US last year, with over 33,000 models sold.
Volkswagen announced the ID.4 was back on sale last month, with the “aim of re-instating the ID.4 to its prior position as one of the best-selling electric vehicles in the US and Canada.” It looks like it’s happening quicker than expected.
The new entry-level 2025 Volkswagen ID.4 RWD Pro model starts at $45,095, while the AWD Pro costs $48,995. Both are powered by an 82 kWh battery. Volkswagen said the 62 kWh battery will be available later this year. The larger battery provides an EPA-estimated range of up to 291 miles.
VW’s base models feature a gloss black grille, black roof rails, and a 12.9″ infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support. The AWD version has 20″ wheels, a heated windshield, and a tow hitch.
The ID.4 Pro S RWD starts at $50,195, and the AWD model has a sticker price of $54,095. It gets an added illuminated VW logo at the front and rear, premium LED projector headlights, a panoramic fixed glass roof, power tailgate, and more.
Volkswagen’s range-topping 2025 ID.4 Pro S Plus is only available in AWD and starts at $57,295. The Plus trim features 21-inch wheels, added exterior design elements, heated rear seats, a premium Harman Kardon audio system, and an Area View (an overhead view camera).
Both electric SUVs feature some of the biggest discounts on the market right now. To make room for 2025 models, VW is offering close-out prices on the 2024 ID.4, with leases starting as low as $189 per month. However, the Honda Prologue is hard to pass up, starting at just $209 per month. Ready to check them out for yourself? You can use our links below to find deals on the Volkswagen ID.4 and Honda Prologue in your area today.
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