At an event in China in early March, BYD unveiled the second generation of its Blade Battery and the accompanying second-generation ‘Flash Chargers.’ According to the manufacturer, the Blade 2.0 cells, which use LFP chemistry, can charge from 10 to 97% in just nine minutes. Even at -30 degrees Celsius, charging from 20 to 97% takes only three minutes longer. The capability is supported not only by the new battery but also by upgraded ‘Flash Chargers’, capable of supplying up to 1.5 MW to an EV via two charging cables simultaneously.
While BYD stated during the premiere that it had already installed over 4,000 of these ‘Flash Chargers’ in China, the company remained vague about the rollout of the ultra-fast charging stations in Europe—despite having announced the deployment of megawatt charging systems in the region last year. BYD has now confirmed that Flash Charging is just ‘only weeks away from its global rollout.’
In Europe, the launch is set for 8 April, when the Denza Z9GT will be officially presented at the Palais Garnier opera house in Paris—alongside the ‘groundbreaking’ charging system. Denza is the ‘technology-focused’ premium brand of the BYD Group, alongside Yangwang as its luxury-oriented marque and BYD itself. Denza originally began as a joint venture between BYD and Mercedes-Benz in China to produce electric vehicles, but its mass-market models did not achieve significant success. Later, BYD took majority control and repositioned the brand as a premium offering. Now, the former Mercedes hopeful from the Chinese market is set to compete against the three-pointed star in Europe’s premium segment.
In its announcement of the premiere, BYD states that the Denza Z9GT will introduce the unique principle of ‘Ready in 5, Full in 9, Cold Add 3’ in Europe. This refers to charging times: after just five minutes, the battery charges from 10 to 70%, making it ready for the journey. The 97% mark is reached after nine minutes—this threshold was deliberately chosen by BYD to leave room for energy from recuperation. “And even in conditions as cold as -30°C, which can drastically reduce charging speeds, FLASH Charging can replenish from 20% to 97% in just 12 minutes (‘Add 3’),” BYD now announced for Europe.
However, whether these charging times can actually be achieved in Europe remains unclear, even with the latest announcement.
BYD states that the basis for these charging times lies in ‘breakthroughs in two key areas.’ Alongside the aforementioned Blade 2.0 cell, the company highlights ‘latest version of BYD’s own charging station, capable of up to 1,500kW of charging power (Chinese-market connector).” In reality, however, the 1,500 kW output is only possible, as noted during the event in China, when both of the Flash Charger’s charging cables are used simultaneously.
BYD Europe also depicts this special charging station design in the graphic accompanying the announcement. The reference to the ‘Chinese-market connector’ further suggests that the Denza Z9 GT for Europe will feature a CCS connector to ensure compatibility with publicly accessible fast-charging stations in Europe.
Whether the European Flash Chargers will feature two CCS cables and what power outputs will then be possible is something BYD is likely to confirm only in early April—or even later. The announcement also states that further details about the plans and how they will support the Z9 GT’s market launch will be provided “in due course”.
Denza first presented the Z9GT in Europe in April 2025 in Milan. The market launch in Germany and other markets, initially announced for the fourth quarter of 2025, was later postponed—likely due to the wait for the second generation of the Blade Battery and the new Flash Chargers. The Z9GT is expected to achieve a range of over 800 kilometres in its rear-wheel-drive version, powered by a 122 kWh battery. The top-of-the-range version, featuring three electric motors, delivers over 700 kW of power. However, the price of the Z9GT in Germany has not yet been disclosed.
“The introduction of the Denza Z9GT in Europe marks a very important milestone for our brand. The Z9GT represents the true spirit of Denza — where advanced technology, beautiful design and emotional driving come together,” says Stella Li, Executive Vice President of BYD and responsible for, among other things, the company’s Europe business. “The ability to add hundreds of kilometres of range in just minutes, even in extremely low temperatures, means the Z9GT perfectly reflects our vision for Denza: technology that inspires, performance that excites and elegance that defines the future of premium mobility.”
