Author | Wang Xiaojun
Editor | Zhou Zhiyu
After losing the title of the autonomous leader for several months, BYD has revealed its trump card.
Once regarded as the flagship exclusive of various car manufacturers, the 1,000-kilometer range and megawatt-level fast charging have now been pulled into the 150,000 yuan level of the mass market by BYD. On March 5, BYD officially launched the second-generation blade battery and flash charging technology system, with 11 new models debuting simultaneously, covering four major brands and spanning from 100,000 to 1 million yuan. A technological equality battle in batteries and energy replenishment has thus begun.
Many industry insiders have stated that BYD's actions are much faster than expected. Just two months ago, Geely ended BYD's record of 40 consecutive months as the monthly sales champion among Chinese brands. The decline in new energy vehicle purchase tax at the beginning of the year, coupled with the off-peak season during the Spring Festival, put pressure on BYD's sales for two consecutive months, with Geely replacing it in the domestic market's leading position.
For this company, which is used to leading the pack, the weight of the phrase &#34;disruptive technology&#34; is self-evident. Wang Chuanfu, Chairman and President of BYD Group, stated bluntly at the press conference: &#34;No one understands batteries better than us at BYD.&#34;
The capital market was the first to respond. After BYD announced the news of the press conference on March 2, A-shares surged over 8% in a single day, with market value increasing by hundreds of billions in just one day. However, the excitement of the stock price ultimately needs product strength to be realized. In the second half of China's new energy landscape, where a technological arms race has become the main theme, the quality of BYD's hand will determine whether it can regain what it has lost.
<h2>Breaking the Deadlock</h2>
To understand the significance of this press conference, one must look back to 2020.
At that time, the first-generation blade battery emerged, and with its safety feature of &#34;no fire from puncture,&#34; it made the BYD Han EV a hit. The puncture test personally demonstrated by Wang Chuanfu, where the battery cell was penetrated by a steel needle without catching fire or smoking, became a landmark event in the industry. However, the shortcomings of the first-generation product were also evident—energy density still lagged behind that of ternary lithium batteries, limiting the range.
Six years later, BYD aims to address this shortcoming.
The core of this launch is the second-generation blade battery. According to official information, the new battery adopts a lithium iron manganese phosphate material route, with a system energy density increased to 190–210Wh/kg, an improvement of about 40% compared to the first-generation product.
Low-temperature performance is also crucial: winter range degradation is controlled within 15%, and the capacity retention rate in extreme low-temperature environments of -20℃ exceeds 85%, significantly better than the 25%–35% degradation level of traditional ternary lithium batteries. Wang Chuanfu stated at the press conference that the second-generation blade battery not only brings flash charging but also achieves an all-around upgrade.
The 2026 Yangwang U7 is the first to be equipped with a 150kWh battery pack, achieving a CLTC pure electric range of 1,006 kilometers. This means that the lithium iron phosphate technology route has officially entered the &#34;1,000-kilometer club,&#34; breaking the industry convention that only ternary lithium models could reach this threshold. The all-new Tengshi Z9 GT has even achieved a range of 1,036 kilometers, becoming the pure electric model with the longest range in mass production globally.
If long range addresses range anxiety, then flash charging alleviates energy replenishment anxiety.
The simultaneously launched megawatt flash charging 2.0 raises the peak power to the 1,500kW level, paired with a fully liquid-cooled charging gun line weighing only 2kg, compatible with 400V, 800V, and 1,000V platforms
Wang Chuanfu presented a set of key data at the press conference: the second-generation blade battery charges from 10% to 70% in just 5 minutes, and from 10% to 97% in only 9 minutes. He specifically explained, &#34;The remaining 3% is reserved for regenerative braking, which is more beneficial for reducing vehicle energy consumption.&#34; In an environment of minus 20 degrees Celsius, the second-generation blade battery charges from 20% to 97% in less than 12 minutes.
The official statement claims, &#34;Charging for 5 minutes increases the range by over 400 kilometers.&#34; Actual test data shows that the Denza Z9 GT equipped with the second-generation blade battery has traveled a total of 1007 kilometers, with a displayed remaining range of 93 kilometers; the Yangwang U7 has traveled 1005.7 kilometers, with a displayed remaining range of 87 kilometers, completing a measured loop of 988 kilometers around Hainan Island.
Regarding the infrastructure timeline, Wang Chuanfu announced that by the end of 2026, BYD will have built 20,000 fast charging stations and 2,000 fast charging highway stations, covering nearly one-third of highway service areas.
However, what truly pressures the industry is not a specific technology itself, but the breadth and speed of BYD's technological implementation. Wang Chuanfu stated that the second-generation blade battery will go into mass production immediately after its release, with the first batch to be equipped in 10 models.
From the lineup at the press conference, 10 models were showcased together: Yangwang U7 (150kWh/1006km range), Denza Z9 GT (maximum 1036km range, new single-motor rear-wheel drive version, total power of 850kW for the tri-motor version), Song Ultra EV (priced between 150,000 to 200,000, standard equipped with lidar + urban NOA, range of 710km), Seal 07 EV (705km range, standard equipped with lidar), Equation Leopard Titanium 3 fast charging version, Titanium 7 EV fast charging version, Datang (7-seat flagship SUV, competing with Li Auto L9/Aito M9), Sea Lion 06, as well as Yangwang U8 and U8L. Among them, the Seal 07 EV was directly launched on the same day, while the Song Ultra EV and Denza Z9 GT opened for pre-sale on the same day.
It can be seen that BYD's strategy this time is not a single breakthrough but a systematic rollout. The second-generation blade battery and fast charging technology are already prepared for large-scale production across all brands and price segments. Information from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology shows that BYD is also equipping lidar on A00-class small cars like the Seagull, demonstrating a similarly aggressive push for equal access to intelligent driving.
At this juncture, launching a full-scale technological offensive, BYD's strategic intent is very clear: not only to capture market share within the new energy camp but also to accelerate the final replacement of fuel vehicles.
<h2>Counterattack</h2>
BYD's official production and sales report shows that in February, the sales of new energy vehicles reached 190,190 units, of which passenger vehicle sales were 187,782 units, and overseas exports once again surpassed 100,000 units. The cumulative sales for the first two months were approximately 400,000 units, a year-on-year decrease of 35.8%. During the same period, Geely Automobile maintained a growth trend with its oil-electric hybrid strategy, leading the domestic market for two consecutive months. This ebb and flow in the industry has sparked a sharp question: Is BYD's &#34;loss of momentum&#34; a cyclical fluctuation or a structural turning point?
The direct trigger for the change in sales champion was a sudden policy shift
Starting from January 1, 2026, the purchase tax for new energy vehicles will be adjusted from a full exemption to a 50% reduction, implemented at a tax rate of 5%, with a maximum tax reduction of 15,000 yuan per vehicle. This is the largest rollback in over a decade. The abrupt policy halt, combined with the off-peak season during the Spring Festival, has led to a year-on-year decline of approximately 20% in nationwide retail sales of new energy vehicles in January, with the penetration rate falling back to 36.25%, even lower than the 38.37% in the same period of 2025.
However, the policy rollback treats all new energy vehicle companies equally; why is BYD more severely affected?
Industry insiders point out that the fundamental reason lies in the product structure. Since completely halting the production of fuel vehicles in 2022, all of BYD's sales have relied on new energy vehicles, with no fuel vehicle business to hedge against policy fluctuations. In contrast, Geely has stabilized its base with a strategy that balances both fuel and electric vehicles, and the sales of its ZEEKR brand have even doubled.
Cui Dongshu, secretary-general of the Passenger Car Association, pointed out that due to the adjustment of the purchase tax policy, sales of new energy passenger vehicles are expected to decline by at least 30% in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the fourth quarter. He also stated that the key to competition among car companies has shifted from &#34;who is cheaper&#34; to &#34;who can provide more solid technology in the mainstream price range.&#34;
Another reality is that while the domestic market is under pressure, the overseas market is performing strongly.
BYD's production and sales report shows that in February, overseas exports of passenger cars and pickups exceeded 100,000 units, maintaining this level for two consecutive months, with cumulative exports exceeding 200,000 units in the first two months, and overseas sales accounting for nearly half of total sales. BYD is undoubtedly a major player in China's new energy export wave. However, the overseas market is not a greenhouse either, as the export growth of Chery, SAIC, and Great Wall is also fierce, and competition has shifted from domestic to global.
It is in this subtle moment of &#34;cold at home and hot abroad&#34; that the technology launch event on March 5 carries strategic significance far beyond the technology itself.
From the perspective of industry competition, the core logic of this launch event is &#34;technology equality&#34;—systematically extending configurations such as ultra-fast charging, 1,000-kilometer range, and advanced intelligent driving, which were previously only available in models priced above 250,000 yuan, down to the 150,000 to 200,000 yuan price range, which is the largest volume segment in the Chinese car market. This creates a dimensional strike against competing products at the same price point: the cost-performance advantage of fuel vehicles is further compressed, and other new energy brands in this price segment face the risk of having their technological moats leveled.
Of course, the implementation of technology requires time for validation. The timeline from the unveiling of 10 models to full delivery, and from planning 15,000 fast charging stations to actual coverage, involves uncertainties at the execution level. Geely will not sit idly by; its Galaxy series and ZEEKR brand are also rapidly iterating in terms of intelligence and three-electric technology; manufacturers like Changan, GAC, and Leapmotor each have their own unique advantages. In 2026, the Chinese new energy market is destined to be a brutal elimination race where a technological arms race and price wars coexist.
Can BYD regain its position as the monthly sales champion through this technological offensive? In the short term, the suspense remains. The impact of the purchase tax rollback is still being digested, and new vehicles will require several months of capacity ramp-up from launch to volume production.
However, from a medium to long-term perspective, what BYD has demonstrated this time is not just a breakthrough in a specific technology, but a systematic capability for technological output—from battery materials to energy replenishment infrastructure, from intelligent driving algorithms to rapid deployment across all brands and price ranges. As Cui Dongshu said, the key to competition among car companies has shifted from price to technology. Only companies with core technologies can define the next era
The competition in the second half of the new energy vehicles has officially begun. The seeds have been sown, and the market's testing has just started

01211

002594

BYDDF

515030

BYDDY

516380

The battle for technological equality

- After losing its top position for months, BYD showcased its next-generation blade battery and ultra-fast charging technology on March 5, introducing 11 new models across various price ranges.  
- This strategic move, seen as a response to past sales pressure from competitors like Geely, aims to democratize high-performance features like 1,000 km range and mega charging.  
- The potential impact could reshape market dynamics, leveling the playing field against traditional fuel vehicles and other electric competitors amid a burgeoning technology arms race.

Wallstreetcn

BYD COMPANY

BYD Company Limited

Hua Xia CSI New Energy Vehicles ETF

BYD Company

Hwabao WP CSI Intelligent Electric Vehicle ETF

Fast charging and the thousand-kilometer range are on the table, BYD has made its stance clear