BYD is entering the European market, reportedly already supplying Tesla batteries

Chinese automaker and battery supplier BYD is entering the European market, and that could include supplying batteries to Tesla.

Earlier this month, the Swedish company Hedin Mobility Group announced that it will distribute and sell BYD passenger cars in its country and in Germany. This comes shortly after BYD announced sales in the Japanese market in July.

The start of sales through the existing dealer network of Hedin Mobility Group is planned for October. The company also plans to open dedicated BYD stores in major cities, with the first scheduled to open in Stockholm later that month.

BYD is one of the largest manufacturers of plug-in vehicles and also produces electric buses and trucks. It does not sell passenger cars in the United States, but has sold and manufactured electric buses here.

CNEVPost it was also recently reported that BYD has begun supplying its Blade batteries to Tesla for production vehicles at the latter’s German plant. According to the report, the first Tesla electric cars with BYD batteries should roll off the assembly line in late August or early September.

Tesla factory near Berlin, Germany

this not the first time Tesla was reportedly considering the Blade, which has a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry that said to emphasize safety while performing quite well at low temperatures compared to other LFP cells.

Tesla uses LFP battery cells in cars made at its Shanghai plant, although it has no plans to use BYD batteries at that plant, according to the report. Some US-made vehicles also get LFP batteries that provide benefits daily charge up to 100%.but at the cost of efficiency.

LFP has become a popular and common type of battery in China, where there are companies aiming for the next generation version chemistry.