BYD claims longest-range EV and 3-row SUV titles with new Blade 2.0 battery

The world's biggest electric car maker and second-largest battery manufacturer announced the next generation of its renowned Blade battery system and the new EVs that it will power.

There are some impressive numbers in the 2026 BYD roster, as the Blade Battery 2.0 technology has allowed it to craft both the electric car with the longest range on a charge and the full-size SUV that claims the same title.

The EV with the longest range

BYD chose its most premium Denza brand of electric cars, the one where it introduces innovative new technologies like "crab walking" to park in tight spaces, to launch what it claims is the EV with the longest range.

The Denza Z9 GT refresh now comes with an RWD version that pushes the boundaries of how far an electric car can go on a single charge. According to BYD, the Z9 GT can cover 1,036 km in a "world range record." This is most likely calculated on the CLTC cycle, which is way more generous than the EPA range estimates in the US that include more highway driving.

The first Denza Z9 GT tests should return some real numbers that can be gauged against such range stalwarts as NIO's ET7 and its 150 kWh hybrid liquid-solid battery or the Air Pure and Lucid's groundbreaking efficiency in the US.

The 3-row SUV with the longest range

The other range record that BYD claims thanks to the higher Blade Battery 2.0 energy density technology is that of its first premium 3-row family SUV in the Dynasty series. The full-size Datang SUV is 17 feet long and can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in just 3.9 seconds despite its heft and dimensions.

The RWD version can cover 950 km on a single charge, according to the CLTC cycle, which would put it right up there with the Lucid Gravity SUV's 450 miles in EPA terms. This specification can be put to the test at the beginning of the summer when the Datang arrives at dealer lots.

While those record-range claims are yet to be confirmed in real-life driving scenarios, BYD has already bagged one other top-shelf spec when it comes to charging speed. Its 1000V architecture brings about megawatt flash charging that allows it to top up the big Blade 2.0 battery of the luxury SUV for daily commuting distance in just five minutes on the charger. BYD is currently rolling out the world's largest megawatt charging network with 1.5 MW T-shaped stations that boast an innovative hanging cable design.

Ditto for the Z9 GT, which can be fully charged to 97% in nine minutes and change, leaving some room for the extra top-up that comes from regenerative braking. Despite its higher energy density and megawatt charging abilities, the second Blade battery generation is cheaper to manufacture and has allowed BYD to price the 2026 Z9 GT record holder from $39,000, while the luxury SUV is likely to start from slightly below sixty grand when it lands next quarter.