Just days ago BYD launched the new Sea Lion O7, an all-electric SUV that makes up part of the Ocean series. Maybe more important than the car itself is the new e-platform 3.0 Evo that it rides on. The e-platform 3.0 first launched in 2021 and underpins most of BYD’s latest all-electric models. Evo most likely stands for ‘evolution’ and is a comprehensive update of the existing platform to squeeze more performance from it before the launch of the new e-platform 4.0.
BYD are claiming firsts in the world across five major technology clusters with the e-platform 3.0 Evo which for the buyer largely translate into efficiency, safety and charging convenience gains or as BYD puts it in its one picture to understand the platform as “safer, more efficient, smarter.”
One of the biggest innovations is the world’s first 12-in-1 electric drive system. It should be noted that the e-platform 3.0 introduced an 8-in-1 system and the Evo now ups this. Included among the 12 are items such as the electric motor, silicon carbide electronic controls, high-efficiency reducers, DC converter, battery manager, and intelligent boost modules. Claiming a world first by itself according to BYD is the motor which is the world highest speed mass-produced electric drive motor for a car reaching 23,000 rpm. This helps the Sea Lion 07 reach a maximum speed of 225 km/h. Another claimed first is the laminated laser welded silicon carbide power module.
The second major technology cluster is to do with intelligent fast charging – claimed as another world first. BYD has managed to increase the vehicle charging current to 400A when charging from a 250A public charger. Key benefit is that this shortens the 10% to 80% charging time to 25 minutes using such a charger. Similarly the time from 80% to 100% reduces to 18 minutes which BYD claims is an industry leading time. Crucial to these advances is intelligent terminal fast charging technology. Another huge advantage is the improvement in low-temperature charging capability. Using intelligent pulse self-heating technology it can see reductions in time of up to 40%. Furthermore the boost fast charging technology is fully compatible with existing public DC chargers. Smart fast dual gun technology means you can plug the car into two chargers simultaneously thereby giving up to 500 kW maximum charging power and allowing a 10-80% charge in as little as 12 minutes.
Next up is the heat pump technology cluster. A heat pump by itself is nothing new having been used by various EVs for some years now as a way of reducing energy consumption for interior climate control. BYD however are claiming the e-platform 3.0 Evo has the world’s first intelligent wide temperature range high-efficiency heat pump. It uses a 16-in-1 high-efficiency thermal management integrated module which leads to a claimed 20% reduction in thermal management power consumption. There is also intelligent dual circulation direct cooling and heating technology for the battery. Such battery thermal management is claimed to reduce energy consumption by 25%. Thanks to the high efficiency composite temperature control system low temperature waste heat utilization efficiency is said to be up by 30% along with a continuous power output increase of over 40 kW. In real life driving conditions these changes translate into a 60 km increase in range (CLTC) in high temperatures and 45 km in cold conditions.
For the fourth technology cluster BYD claims to have the world’s first CTB vehicle safety architecture. CTB stands for cell to body, which seems broadly the same as what some other producers call cell to chassis (CTC). Essentially it integrates the battery pack as an integral part of the car rather than something hanging off it so giving the pack a load bearing element. The safety buffer space at the front is increased by 100 mm leading to a 60% increase in frontal collision safety. Also increased by 60% is the regional body strength thanks to the endoskeleton CTB safety architecture. BYD is claiming a global leading less than 5 mm pedal intrusion into the cabin under C-NCAP testing.
The fifth and final cluster is to do with the world’s first intelligent motion control technology. This revolves around new motion control architecture for power-chassis fusion which supports dynamic state recognition, motor self-inductance recognition and image recognition. The iTAC (intelligent torque control system) claims to keep one step ahead. This results in a slip recognition time of 50 ms, a 40% reduction in slippage speed and a maximum yaw angle reductions of 11.7%. iTAC also supports specialized drive modes such as terrain assist, track mode, drift mode and a mode for extracting a bogged down car.
Source: BYD, Fast Technology
Does that mean it’s 400V internally but can take advantage of 800V chargers?
The e-platform 3.0 is itself meant to have 800V architecture, but I’ve never really seen charging times of BYD cars that suggest they really are 800V!
This car is 800v. With the new SiC power electronics, they can take higher amperage from 400V chargers and step up the voltage with lower losses.
Let’s hope that the Atto3 update with this technology comes out soon