New battery generation charges in under 10 minutes
CATL and BYD unveil batteries that charge from 10 to 80% in under 4 minutes. The power grid isn't ready for that much power.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Batteries that charge in 4 minutes: the revolution that hits a wall called the power grid
As BYD and CATL announce batteries capable of charging from 10 to 80% in under 4 minutes, the current infrastructure isn't prepared to handle such demand. A 1.3 MW charger requires a mini electrical substation and costs more than 150,000 euros. The question nobody answers is: who pays for that?
The figures that promise to change the electric car
BYD unveiled its Blade 2 batteries weeks ago, which charge from 10 to 70% in five minutes and from 10 to 97% in nine minutes. CATL has gone even further: its new LFP batteries reach 80% in 3 minutes and 44 seconds, and 98% in 6 minutes and 27 seconds. According to CATL, after 1,000 ultra-fast charges they retain more than 90% of their original capacity. BYD, for its part, has extended its battery warranty to 250,000 kilometers. Both manufacturers claim the production cost is the same as that of current batteries.
The bottleneck: the grid and the chargers
The chemistry is advancing, but the infrastructure is lagging behind. To charge an 80 kWh battery from 10 to 80% in 3.7 minutes, 900 kW of average power is needed. That's equivalent to the demand of several hundred households. A 1.3 MW charger is not a plug: it requires its own transformer, high-gauge wiring and liquid cooling. Installation exceeds 150,000-200,000 euros per point. And if four cars charge at once, demand would be several megawatts, requiring a medium-voltage connection with years of paperwork.
The fine print and skepticism
Lab figures are one thing; reality is another. Peukert's law, though less relevant for lithium, suggests that at high charge rates degradation accelerates. Some analyses point out that improvements in energy density are modest (2-3% per year) and that silicon anodes, while increasing range, reduce cycle life. BYD's warranty extension to 250,000 km is viewed with suspicion: the fine print could hide exclusions.
The debate is split between those who see a real leap -with models already on sale in China for under 15,000 euros- and those who consider it marketing hype. The reality is that battery technology is advancing faster than the power grid and the willingness to invest in infrastructure.
The question that remains: will these batteries be good for anything more than promotional videos in solitary meadows? For now, the bottleneck isn't the chemistry, but money and bureaucracy.
Related discussions in the forum
As BYD and CATL announce batteries capable of charging from 10 to 80% in under 4 minutes, the current infrastructure isn't prepared to handle such demand. A 1.3 MW charger requires a mini electrical substation and costs more than 150,000 euros. The question nobody answers is: who pays for that?
The figures that promise to change the electric car
BYD unveiled its Blade 2 batteries weeks ago, which charge from 10 to 70% in five minutes and from 10 to 97% in nine minutes. CATL has gone even further: its new LFP batteries reach 80% in 3 minutes and 44 seconds, and 98% in 6 minutes and 27 seconds. According to CATL, after 1,000 ultra-fast charges they retain more than 90% of their original capacity. BYD, for its part, has extended its battery warranty to 250,000 kilometers. Both manufacturers claim the production cost is the same as that of current batteries.
The bottleneck: the grid and the chargers
The chemistry is advancing, but the infrastructure is lagging behind. To charge an 80 kWh battery from 10 to 80% in 3.7 minutes, 900 kW of average power is needed. That's equivalent to the demand of several hundred households. A 1.3 MW charger is not a plug: it requires its own transformer, high-gauge wiring and liquid cooling. Installation exceeds 150,000-200,000 euros per point. And if four cars charge at once, demand would be several megawatts, requiring a medium-voltage connection with years of paperwork.
- Average power required: 900 kW for a single car in ultra-fast charging.
- Estimated cost of a 1.3 MW charger: more than 150,000 €.
- A 150 kW charger would take more than three times as long to achieve the same charge.
The fine print and skepticism
Lab figures are one thing; reality is another. Peukert's law, though less relevant for lithium, suggests that at high charge rates degradation accelerates. Some analyses point out that improvements in energy density are modest (2-3% per year) and that silicon anodes, while increasing range, reduce cycle life. BYD's warranty extension to 250,000 km is viewed with suspicion: the fine print could hide exclusions.
The debate is split between those who see a real leap -with models already on sale in China for under 15,000 euros- and those who consider it marketing hype. The reality is that battery technology is advancing faster than the power grid and the willingness to invest in infrastructure.
The question that remains: will these batteries be good for anything more than promotional videos in solitary meadows? For now, the bottleneck isn't the chemistry, but money and bureaucracy.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (35 replies).
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