- Fang Cheng Bao has started normal deliveries of the Tai 3 flash charging edition, after capacity constraints forced executives to oversee factories in multiple locations.
- BYD chairman Wang Chuanfu warned of capacity shortages as the company transitions to its second-generation flash charging battery technology.
Delivery delays for the Tai 3 flash charging sport utility vehicle (SUV) under Fang Cheng Bao, BYD's high-end personalized brand, highlight the production pressure the group faces amid a technology transition.
The Tai 3 flash charging edition was officially launched on March 13, with initial deliveries scheduled for mid-April, but they were pushed back to May.
Xiong Tianbo, general manager of the Fang Cheng Bao division, posted on Weibo on Wednesday that normal deliveries of the Tai 3 flash charging edition have begun, sharing the team's efforts to boost production capacity.
Xiong said her team has been stationed at production bases in Shaanxi, Anhui, and Zhengzhou this month in an effort to ramp up capacity.
As of now, deliveries have commenced for all variants of the Tai 3 flash charging edition, including two-wheel drive, four-wheel drive, and models equipped with advanced driver assistance systems, Xiong said.
In addition, Fang Cheng Bao Tai 7 flash charging vehicles have started shipping to stores in select cities, with mass deliveries expected to begin in early June, while deliveries of the Bao 8 and Bao 5 flash charging editions are slated for mid-June, she said.
The supply of flash charging models is quite tight, and consumers who order earlier will get their deliveries sooner, Xiong said.
BYD unveiled its latest flash charging technology and second-generation Blade Battery on March 5, offering an ultra-fast charging experience that reaches 97% in just nine minutes.
The company subsequently rolled out flash charging editions for more than a dozen existing models, embarking on a massive shift to the new technology platform.
Fang Cheng Bao launched the Tai 3 flash charging edition on March 13, the Tai 7 EV flash charging edition on April 29, and the Bao 8 and Bao 5 flash charging editions on May 13.
With a slew of models equipped with the new-generation battery and charging technology hitting the market, BYD Group is facing capacity constraints.
In a speech on May 15, BYD chairman Wang Chuanfu admitted that tight battery capacity has affected vehicle deliveries across its brands, including the BYD brand's Dynasty and Ocean lineup, as well as Denza and Yangwang sub-brands.
Wang said the core of the capacity squeeze lies in the company's comprehensive transition from the first-generation Blade Battery to the second-generation product featuring flash charging capabilities, leaving production lines in a phase of retrofitting and testing.
Because the transition between old and new technologies requires halting operations to upgrade older production lines, the delivery cycles for several of BYD's main models have been significantly prolonged recently.
Starting in May, BYD's production line upgrades will gradually wind down, and capacity will be continuously unleashed, Wang said.
As capacity increases, BYD's monthly sales will enter a steady growth channel, with a surge in deliveries expected after June, according to Wang.
BYD's new energy vehicle (NEV) sales in April stood at 321,123 units, up 6.96% from March. However, this marked the company's eighth consecutive month of year-on-year sales declines, dropping by 15.51%.
In the first four months of this year, BYD Group's cumulative NEV sales totaled 1,021,586 units, down 26.02% year-on-year.
