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has over five years of research experience in developing cathode materials for sodium-ion and potassium-ion batteries. Currently, as a new battery technology analyst, Xin contributes to the New Technology Report and manages a comprehensive database tracking emerging battery technologies. My work also supports BESS, EV, and silicon-based anode products, providing detailed technology highlights for reports such as the BESS Outlook, EV & Battery Forecast, and other industry publications.","1ca6ff96-2f6f-452d-bac1-164093a50a4f",{"id":551,"alt":547,"name":547,"focus":547,"title":547,"source":547,"filename":552,"copyright":547,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":554,"is_external_url":50},148104708535964,"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/512x512/bd01e707af/xin-chen.jpeg","asset",{},"https://www.linkedin.com/in/xin-chen-battery/","author","Analyst - Battery Technology","New Technology, BESS, EV, Silicon Anode",[],[],[562,812],{"id":563,"uuid":564,"name":565,"slug":566,"full_slug":567,"content":568},173596051486739,"a1118b56-c6a4-429b-8aff-ec5895a872cb","The fast charging competition between CATL and BYD","the-fast-charging-competition-between-catl-and-byd","article/the-fast-charging-competition-between-catl-and-byd",{"_uid":569,"date":570,"tags":571,"editor":581,"content":591,"excerpt":777,"featured":51,"reporter":778,"component":792,"seo_title":565,"categories":793,"visibility":803,"data_vis_image":804,"featured_image":806,"seo_description":810,"formattedDate":811},"aaa9e898-0841-4914-a956-c98bb72d298b","2026-05-06 00:00",[572,575,578],{"slug":573,"name":574},"byd","BYD",{"slug":576,"name":577},"catl","CATL",{"slug":579,"name":580},"charging","Charging",[582],{"slug":583,"name":584,"content":585},"benjamin-roche","Benjamin Roche",{"job_title":586,"image":587,"bio":589,"linkedin":590},"Editor – Energy Transition Supply Chains",{"filename":588},"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/800x800/66d6674fb8/benjamin-roche.png","Benjamin is Benchmark's Editor for Energy Transition Supply Chains, covering both upstream products like critical minerals and downstream products including energy storage systems and electric vehicles. He has previous experience covering trade flows, tariffs and the effects of geopolitics on supply chains.","https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminrochecontent/",{"type":592,"content":593},"doc",[594,623,640,652,660,670,678,686,694,702,711,733,755,763,771],{"type":595,"attrs":596,"content":597},"paragraph",{"textAlign":49},[598,606,618],{"text":599,"type":600,"marks":601},"Both CATL and BYD have made announcements renewing their commitment to ","text",[602],{"type":603,"attrs":604},"textStyle",{"color":605},"windowtext",{"text":607,"type":600,"marks":608},"fast charging",[609,616],{"type":610,"attrs":611},"link",{"href":612,"uuid":613,"anchor":49,"target":614,"linktype":615},"/article/infographic-comparing-ev-charging-networks-worldwide","d4873e1a-a71e-4dea-8f82-e099ff0f8879","_blank","story",{"type":603,"attrs":617},{"color":605},{"text":619,"type":600,"marks":620}," this year, pushing faster, ultra-high charging speeds up to 15C even as existing technologies have approached the refuelling time of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.",[621],{"type":603,"attrs":622},{"color":605},{"type":595,"attrs":624,"content":625},{"textAlign":49},[626,635],{"text":627,"type":600,"marks":628},"Competition between the two firms",[629,633],{"type":610,"attrs":630},{"href":631,"uuid":632,"anchor":49,"target":614,"linktype":615},"/article/is-byd-using-lmfp-for-blade-2-0-and-what-would-this-mean-for-manganese-","27a25c0a-b17f-46c1-a750-10f514e8bb13",{"type":603,"attrs":634},{"color":605},{"text":636,"type":600,"marks":637}," on charging speed, highlighted again at CATL’s 2026 Tech Day event last month, comes as progress on energy density has slowed for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries.",[638],{"type":603,"attrs":639},{"color":605},{"type":641,"attrs":642,"content":644},"heading",{"level":643,"textAlign":49},2,[645],{"text":646,"type":600,"marks":647},"Fast charging replacing density as key battleground",[648,650],{"type":603,"attrs":649},{"color":605},{"type":651},"bold",{"type":595,"attrs":653,"content":654},{"textAlign":49},[655],{"text":656,"type":600,"marks":657},"Following the launch of BYD’s Blade II earlier this year, CATL introduced Shenxing III, widely seen as a competitive response. Both batteries use LFP-based chemistries and have ultra-fast charging capabilities.",[658],{"type":603,"attrs":659},{"color":605},{"type":661,"attrs":662},"blok",{"id":663,"body":664},"cc8dbb00-070d-4901-9ec2-2c039e4ab4ed",[665],{"id":666,"_uid":667,"type":668,"component":669,"fixed_height":547,"use_fixed_height":50,"fixed_height_mobile":547,"fixed_height_tablet":547},"28835236","i-a5247011-f038-4de4-a9c8-caba4bc4536f","visualisation","ContentFlourish",{"type":595,"attrs":671,"content":672},{"textAlign":49},[673],{"text":674,"type":600,"marks":675},"Benchmark battery technology analyst Xin Chen noted that CATL has not framed Shenxing III as representing a step-change in energy density, where LFP is likely approaching a practical ceiling.",[676],{"type":603,"attrs":677},{"color":605},{"type":595,"attrs":679,"content":680},{"textAlign":49},[681],{"text":682,"type":600,"marks":683},"CATL's previous, fifth-generation LFP cells achieved an energy density of 205Wh/kg, which is very close to the theoretical limit of LFP.",[684],{"type":603,"attrs":685},{"color":605},{"type":595,"attrs":687,"content":688},{"textAlign":49},[689],{"text":690,"type":600,"marks":691},"“Making further gains is increasingly difficult without a change in chemistry or system design,” Xin added. “As a result, the development focus is likely shifting toward alternative directions, with fast charging, low-temperature performance, and lifecycle durability emerging as the new competitive frontiers.”",[692],{"type":603,"attrs":693},{"color":605},{"type":595,"attrs":695,"content":696},{"textAlign":49},[697],{"text":698,"type":600,"marks":699},"In this context, CATL has positioned Shenxing III with a significantly higher peak charging capability (up to 15C) compared with BYD (8C). Yet 8C charging is already approaching the refuelling time of an ICE vehicle, and there is a well-recognised trade-off between ultra-fast charging and cycle life degradation.",[700],{"type":603,"attrs":701},{"color":605},{"type":641,"attrs":703,"content":704},{"level":643,"textAlign":49},[705],{"text":706,"type":600,"marks":707},"Addressing cell degradation",[708,710],{"type":603,"attrs":709},{"color":605},{"type":651},{"type":595,"attrs":712,"content":713},{"textAlign":49},[714,719,728],{"text":715,"type":600,"marks":716},"Fast charging is associated with both ",[717],{"type":603,"attrs":718},{"color":605},{"text":720,"type":600,"marks":721},"accelerated degradation",[722,726],{"type":610,"attrs":723},{"href":724,"uuid":725,"anchor":49,"target":614,"linktype":615},"/article/fast-charging-increasingly-driving-ev-battery-degradation","46750879-a447-41c0-be37-caf7180c42b5",{"type":603,"attrs":727},{"color":605},{"text":729,"type":600,"marks":730}," via lithium plating and elevated battery temperatures during charging. The two firms are both looking to reduce heat generation and improve heat dissipation, though they are each taking different technical approaches.",[731],{"type":603,"attrs":732},{"color":605},{"type":595,"attrs":734,"content":735},{"textAlign":49},[736,741,750],{"text":737,"type":600,"marks":738},"CATL’s Shenxing III reduces internal resistance to around 0.25 mΩ, reportedly among the lowest in the industry. ",[739],{"type":603,"attrs":740},{"color":605},{"text":742,"type":600,"marks":743},"BYD’s Blade II",[744,748],{"type":610,"attrs":745},{"href":746,"uuid":747,"anchor":49,"target":614,"linktype":615},"/article/byd-launches-much-anticipated-blade-2-battery","bbd6953f-b16b-4e77-967f-8242cfad5d74",{"type":603,"attrs":749},{"color":605},{"text":751,"type":600,"marks":752},", meanwhile, improves electrochemical efficiency through electrolyte optimisation and enhanced solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation, which also helps reduce internal resistance by improving ion transport.",[753],{"type":603,"attrs":754},{"color":605},{"type":595,"attrs":756,"content":757},{"textAlign":49},[758],{"text":759,"type":600,"marks":760},"On heat dissipation, both companies are upgrading thermal management systems. CATL uses a shoulder-region cooling design that enhances heat extraction at the tab area, where localised heating is most severe. BYD leverages the intrinsic thermal advantage of its blade cell architecture, which provides a larger heat dissipation surface. This is further enhanced in its Blade II battery through double-sided direct liquid cooling.",[761],{"type":603,"attrs":762},{"color":605},{"type":595,"attrs":764,"content":765},{"textAlign":49},[766],{"text":767,"type":600,"marks":768},"Beyond cell and system-level optimisation, CATL also adopts a distinct approach to fast charging infrastructure compared with BYD. BYD’s flash-charging stations are designed with a relatively simple architecture, enabling easier installation and deployment. In contrast, CATL has introduced the ‘Choco-Swap’ battery charging station, which offers both ultra-fast charging and battery swapping. These stations function not only as charging hubs, but also as distributed energy storage and grid-balancing node.",[769],{"type":603,"attrs":770},{"color":605},{"type":661,"attrs":772},{"id":663,"body":773},[774],{"id":775,"_uid":776,"type":668,"component":669,"fixed_height":547,"use_fixed_height":50,"fixed_height_mobile":547,"fixed_height_tablet":547},"28836073","i-50ddbc7a-4fe0-40bd-876d-a8e1cc8be484","Both CATL and BYD have made announcements renewing their commitment to fast charging this year, pushing faster, ultra-high charging speeds up to 15C even as existing technologies have approached the refuelling time of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.\n\nCompetition between the two firms on charging speed, highlighted again at CATL’s 2026 Tech Day event last month, comes as progress on energy density has slowed for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries.",[779,782],{"slug":544,"name":543,"content":780},{"job_title":557,"image":781,"bio":548,"linkedin":555,"markets_covered":558},{"filename":552},{"slug":783,"name":784,"content":785},"iola-hughes","Iola Hughes",{"job_title":786,"image":787,"bio":789,"linkedin":790,"markets_covered":791},"Head of Research",{"filename":788},"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/852x854/03382be015/iola-h.png","Iola was Head of Research at Rho Motion prior to the acquisition, and now leads the downstream research for the Benchmark. She has six years of experience in the battery space and works across electric vehicle, battery, and energy storage markets. Previous experience includes a research position with a Servomex working on paramagnetic sensors and spectroscopy gas analysis. Iola graduated with a First-Class Honours Master’s Degree in Geophysics from University College London","https://www.linkedin.com/in/iolahughes/","Battery, BESS, EV and Battery","article",[794,797,800],{"slug":795,"name":796},"batteries","Batteries",{"slug":798,"name":799},"battery-technology","Battery Technology",{"slug":801,"name":802},"ev","EV","private",{"id":49,"alt":49,"name":547,"focus":49,"title":49,"source":49,"filename":547,"copyright":49,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":805},{},{"id":807,"alt":547,"name":547,"focus":547,"title":547,"source":547,"filename":808,"copyright":547,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":809,"is_external_url":50},129064587089142,"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/005d0156fa/bm-a-new-ford-mustang-mach-e-gt-x-electric-vehicle-parking-at-electrify-america-ev-charging-station.jpg",{},"Both CATL and BYD have made announcements renewing their commitment to fast charging this year, pushing faster, ultra-high charging speeds up to 15C even as existing technologies near the refuelling time of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.","May 06, 2026",{"id":813,"uuid":747,"name":814,"slug":815,"full_slug":816,"content":817},153102306023366,"BYD launches much-anticipated Blade 2 battery","byd-launches-much-anticipated-blade-2-battery","article/byd-launches-much-anticipated-blade-2-battery",{"_uid":818,"date":819,"tags":820,"editor":827,"content":831,"excerpt":955,"featured":51,"reporter":956,"component":792,"seo_title":814,"categories":980,"visibility":803,"data_vis_image":983,"featured_image":985,"seo_description":955,"formattedDate":989},"d163f41a-0e09-4e98-ade2-61abd9f02248","2026-03-09 00:00",[821,822,823,826],{"slug":573,"name":574},{"slug":576,"name":577},{"slug":824,"name":825},"lithium-ion-batteries","lithium ion batteries",{"slug":579,"name":580},[828],{"slug":583,"name":584,"content":829},{"job_title":586,"image":830,"bio":589,"linkedin":590},{"filename":588},{"type":592,"content":832},[833,853,860,872,879,887,894,908,915,920,926,940,945,950],{"type":595,"attrs":834,"content":835},{"textAlign":49},[836,838,846,848],{"text":837,"type":600},"The ",{"text":839,"type":600,"marks":840},"new generation of BYD’s Blade battery",[841],{"type":610,"attrs":842},{"href":843,"uuid":844,"anchor":49,"target":845,"linktype":615},"/article/in-charts-the-rise-of-byd","d138a8e7-adba-49a7-b52d-30b972975714","_self",{"text":847,"type":600}," ",{"text":849,"type":600,"marks":850},"has come later than expected with the improvement in energy density falling short compared to some rival technologies for its short-blade version. The design targets faster charging as a differentiator to win over consumers.",[851],{"type":603,"attrs":852},{"color":547},{"type":641,"attrs":854,"content":855},{"level":643,"textAlign":49},[856],{"text":857,"type":600,"marks":858},"Blade 2 specifications fall short of CATL",[859],{"type":651},{"type":595,"attrs":861,"content":862},{"textAlign":49},[863,865,870],{"text":864,"type":600},"BYD’s Blade 2 battery was originally expected to be released in August 2024 with an energy density of 190Wh/kg. It has now been launched in March 2026, delivering around a 5% improvement in energy density at the system level in its short-blade version, which comes in at ~164Wh/kg. The long-blade version, which is optimised for high energy density, surpasses this at ~210Wh/kg. This is",{"text":866,"type":600,"marks":867}," ",[868],{"type":603,"attrs":869},{"color":547},{"text":871,"type":600},"higher than CATL’s ~205Wh/kg Shenxing Plus but the longer version is expected to target the premium segment.",{"type":641,"attrs":873,"content":874},{"level":643,"textAlign":49},[875],{"text":876,"type":600,"marks":877},"How are BYD sales faring?",[878],{"type":651},{"type":595,"attrs":880,"content":881},{"textAlign":49},[882],{"text":883,"type":600,"marks":884},"This release comes at a time when BYD has been offering price discounts and sales growth has declined. February marked the seventh consecutive month that BYD’s wholesale (domestic + export) figures declined. Domestically, rivals like Geely were closing in on BYD’s BEV sales dominance.",[885],{"type":603,"attrs":886},{"color":547},{"type":661,"attrs":888},{"id":889,"body":890},"b6f1b4de-f51a-4211-b668-e74664946293",[891],{"id":892,"_uid":893,"type":668,"component":669,"fixed_height":547,"use_fixed_height":50,"fixed_height_mobile":547,"fixed_height_tablet":547},"27960550","i-d6c5dea4-09b2-48cb-b90d-79d876b4e7f8",{"type":595,"attrs":895,"content":896},{"textAlign":49},[897,899,906],{"text":898,"type":600},"Rather than prioritising ",{"text":900,"type":600,"marks":901},"aggressive R&D",[902],{"type":610,"attrs":903},{"href":904,"uuid":905,"anchor":49,"target":845,"linktype":615},"/article/how-does-battery-companies-rd-expenditure-vary","ec2b9cb2-69a7-4c78-a0a7-e9df59d41b2b",{"text":907,"type":600}," to push energy density boundaries, BYD may now be shifting its focus towards lowering manufacturing costs and preserving margins. While the design of CATL’s Shenxing Plus improves performance, it also tends to increase manufacturing complexity and cost and may introduce additional safety challenges at the cell level.",{"type":641,"attrs":909,"content":910},{"level":643,"textAlign":49},[911],{"text":912,"type":600,"marks":913},"Refocusing on fast charging",[914],{"type":651},{"type":595,"attrs":916,"content":917},{"textAlign":49},[918],{"text":919,"type":600},"One major development compared to Blade 1 is the new 8C fast charging rate in the short-blade version. BYD is reportedly utilising an LMFP cathode paired with a small amount of silicon in the anode. At 8C, BYD expects to offer 5-minute charging from 10% to 70% and 9 minutes from 10% to 97%. Cycle life has also improved from ~4,000 to over 4,500 cycles. The long-blade version of the battery has an 3C fast charging rate.",{"type":661,"attrs":921},{"id":889,"body":922},[923],{"id":924,"_uid":925,"type":668,"component":669,"fixed_height":547,"use_fixed_height":50,"fixed_height_mobile":547,"fixed_height_tablet":547},"27959585","i-853e11f5-cc8d-4967-93ec-9b5544a9b7b9",{"type":595,"attrs":927,"content":928},{"textAlign":49},[929,931,938],{"text":930,"type":600},"This improvement could offset the lower-than-expected energy density in the short-blade version. BYD already aims to deploy 20,000 ",{"text":932,"type":600,"marks":933},"“flash” charging stations by the end of 2026",[934],{"type":610,"attrs":935},{"href":936,"uuid":937,"anchor":49,"target":845,"linktype":615},"/article/catl-announces-battery-capable-of-1-3-mw-charging-how-fast-will-chargers-get","fa8ae311-e854-4049-92d4-326e1c68b21a",{"text":939,"type":600},", where maximum power is a massive 1.5MW, to draw consumers. To date, they have finished 4,239, though many are existing upgraded stations rather than greenfield. The rate also positions it as a rival to NIO’s battery swapping model.",{"type":595,"attrs":941,"content":942},{"textAlign":49},[943],{"text":944,"type":600},"Benchmark automotive research lead Will Roberts notes:",{"type":595,"attrs":946,"content":947},{"textAlign":49},[948],{"text":949,"type":600},"“While 20,000 flash charging stations is significant, it represents a small fraction of China’s over 2 million DC fast charging points nationwide.",{"type":595,"attrs":951,"content":952},{"textAlign":49},[953],{"text":954,"type":600},"“Looking forwards, BYD has indicated plans to commercialise solid-state batteries around 2027, which are expected to achieve significantly higher energy density than Blade 2. This current fast charge strategy may end up being a premium brand holdover while the R&D focus switches to the next big step change.”","The new generation of BYD’s Blade battery has come later than expected with the improvement in energy density falling short compared to some rival technologies. The design instead targets faster charging as a differentiator to win over consumers.",[957,967,970],{"slug":958,"name":959,"content":960},"will-roberts","Will Roberts",{"job_title":961,"image":962,"bio":964,"linkedin":965,"markets_covered":966},"Automotive Research Lead",{"filename":963},"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/852x854/474a3cfca2/will-r.png","Will is part of the EV & Battery research team. As Automotive Research Lead, he manages all aspects of the team's view on global vehicle markets. Will leads forecasting for both the total vehicle market globally as well as electrified vehicles and works extensively on electric vehicle and battery market analysis, with a particular focus on the effects of legislation in the North American & European markets and, auto OEM strategy in the transition to EV. In addition, Will is also leading research in EV motors, vehicle platforms and systems. Will graduated from the University of Exeter, with a BSc in Physics and MSc in Mechanical Engineering.","https://www.linkedin.com/in/willroberts227/","EV and Battery",{"slug":544,"name":543,"content":968},{"job_title":557,"image":969,"bio":548,"linkedin":555,"markets_covered":558},{"filename":552},{"slug":971,"name":972,"content":973},"varnika-agarwal","Varnika Agarwal",{"job_title":974,"image":975,"bio":977,"linkedin":978,"markets_covered":979},"Battery Research Analyst",{"filename":976},"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/852x854/7f6c4846ba/varnika-a.png","Varnika is a Battery Research Analyst at Benchmark Mineral Intelligence where her primary focus is on the technical side of electric vehicle, energy stationary storage and battery market analysis. She was transferred from Rho Motion, which was acquired by Benchmark Mineral. During 2 years at Rho Motion, Varnika has worked on a variety of products across the time and has played an active role in the analysis of different type of battery recycling technologies.She holds PhD in solid-state batteries at University of Oxford, which has helped to hone her research and technical skills.","https://www.linkedin.com/in/varnika-agarwal1/","Battery Tech, EV, BESS, Portables",[981,982],{"slug":798,"name":799},{"slug":801,"name":802},{"id":49,"alt":49,"name":547,"focus":49,"title":49,"source":49,"filename":547,"copyright":49,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":984},{},{"id":986,"alt":547,"name":547,"focus":547,"title":547,"source":547,"filename":987,"copyright":547,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":988,"is_external_url":50},129067489610498,"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/b1159c5f37/bm-ev-battery-pack-on-production-line.jpg",{},"Mar 09, 2026",1783529735195]