The emergence of short-blade batteries from companies like BYD, Honeycomb Energy, and Geely Auto marks a transformative trend in the lithium battery sectorWith discussions highlighting these innovations, the short-blade battery is poised to play a pivotal role in the evolution of battery technology.

At the recent "2024 Power Battery Development Trend Forum," experts from esteemed institutions, including the China Electric Vehicle 100 Association, Tsinghua University, and the China Automotive Technology Research Center, engaged in extensive discussions about the future direction of power batteriesA consensus emerged during these deliberations: the short-blade structure is set to become the new mainstream among lithium iron phosphate batteries.

What exactly is a short-blade battery? What advantages does it offer? Why are major lithium battery companies opting for a "short over long" approach?

Power batteries serve as the "heart" of new energy vehicles, directly influencing their cost, performance, and market competitiveness

However, in this fiercely competitive arena, the power battery industry currently faces three significant challenges.

First, the challenge of increasing energy density in power batteries has become crucial, especially as consumer demands for longer ranges in electric vehicles continue to rise.

Second, safety concerns related to batteries have always been in the spotlightRecent incidents of spontaneous combustion in electric vehicles have affected consumer confidence to a degree.

Lastly, the high costs associated with power batteries are a critical factor hindering the widespread adoption of new energy vehicles.

To address these challenges, BYD launched the blade battery in 2020. Officially titled the "super lithium iron phosphate battery," it was named for its flat, blade-like design, where individual battery cells are arranged in layers to maximize space utilization and energy density while reducing internal resistance.

Compared to traditional rectangular batteries, this stacked design significantly improves the space utilization and energy density of battery packs, reduces internal resistance, facilitates temperature management, and thus enhances the range and safety of electric vehicles.

At the time, BYD's founder Wang Chuanfu proclaimed that the blade battery would eliminate the term “spontaneous combustion” from the vocabulary of new energy vehicles, displaying strong confidence in the safety of their product

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Following this, all models of BYD have adopted the blade battery, catalyzing a broad application of this technology.

As BYD’s blade battery underwent market testing, the industry responded enthusiasticallyIn 2019, Honeycomb Energy officially introduced an innovative take on this concept—the short-blade batteryMuch like the original blade battery, the short-blade variant also employs CTP (cell-to-pack) technology to significantly enhance the space utilization within battery packs; however, the length of the short-blade battery cells is typically between 300mm and 600mm.

From a structural optimization perspective, a shorter battery length brings several benefits:

Firstly, reducing internal resistance: The shorter length of the short-blade battery minimizes the distance electrons must travel, thereby lowering resistance and enhancing the efficiency of charging and discharging.

Secondly, improved safety: The reduced distance for electron travel results in less heat generation, thereby mitigating the risk of thermal runaway.

Thirdly, supporting rapid charging: Owing to lower internal resistance, short-blade batteries can accommodate higher charging rates more effectively.

Fourthly, enhancing energy density: By optimizing the design to minimize the proportion of non-active materials, short-blade batteries achieve higher energy densities.

Thanks to these advantages, short-blade batteries have quickly gained recognition in the market

For instance, Honeycomb Energy, as a pioneer in this field, reported that from January 2023 to July 2024, their shipments of short-blade batteries exceeded 150,000 units, totaling 5.41GWh, supplying more than 20 models from domestic and international automakers like Geely, Leap Motor, Great Wall, and Stellantis.

The success of Honeycomb Energy's short-blade battery has attracted the attention of numerous competitors within and outside the industry, resulting in increased participation from other battery companies and automobile manufacturersRecently, progress in the short-blade battery sector has been continuous.

In May of this year, Guoxuan High-Tech launched its L600 Qicheng cell, built on a lithium manganese iron phosphate system with dimensions around 600mm

The same month saw Ruipu Landjun's CB500 lithium iron phosphate cell being put into production and delivered for road testing to renowned domestic automakersIn June, Geely Auto officially introduced its Shendun short-blade battery, claiming it boasts a cycle life of 3,500 cycles and can safely travel over a million kilometers while passing needle penetration and bullet penetration tests.

In addition to these companies, others in China like Fudi Battery, Quzhou Jidian, and Inpai Battery have also begun mass production of short-blade batteries.

Notably, Honeycomb Energy has also recently expanded the application of short-blade batteries into the energy storage sector

To tackle the cost-reduction challenges in the energy storage industry, they have specifically developed a battery cell with a blade shape measuring 500mm in length and 215mm in height, aiming to reduce overall project costs through simplified pack structures and material usage.

Moreover, even BYD has hinted at exploring the short-blade battery conceptRecently, Jiang Long, director of BYD's pure electric platform, stated that the technological layout surrounding blade batteries is continually evolving, with substantial solutions being prepared for both long and short blades that can be deployed as per market demandsThis statement has sparked speculation that BYD may be planning to enter the short-blade battery market.

All signs indicate that short-blade batteries may become a new trend in the lithium battery arena