Up to 1,500 km on a single charge, full charge in 6 minutes 30 seconds, sodium battery mass production within the year...
CATL (Ningde Shidai), China’s top battery maker by global market share, on the 21st unveiled new battery technologies and a product roadmap as competition in electric-vehicle batteries intensifies. The company’s announcements were seen as an effort to widen its lead.
According to Chinese media including 21st Century Business Herald, CATL held a “Super Tech Day” event on the 21st. The main highlight was a “condensed-state” version of its flagship Qilin battery. The term refers to an electrolyte in a consolidated, solid-like state, and is widely viewed as a high-performance semi-solid battery that sits just short of an all-solid-state design.
CATL said it applied its in-house semi-solid electrolyte technology by combining an ultra-high-concentration nickel cathode with a silicon-based anode. It put the battery’s energy density at 350 Wh/kg, among the highest levels for mass-produced batteries.
Gao Huan, CATL’s chief technology officer, said the company “upgraded the liquid electrolyte to a condensed-state electrolyte, fundamentally improving safety issues.” Using a condensed-state electrolyte instead of a liquid reduces leakage risk and can sharply lower the chance of fire, CATL said.
In driving tests, a premium sedan equipped with the battery traveled up to 1,500 km on a single charge, CATL said.
CATL said the battery pack weighs less than 650 kg and has a volume of 309 liters. Compared with a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery capable of about 1,500 km under the same conditions, it is about 400 kg lighter and takes up 225 liters less space, the company said. It also said the battery retains more than 85% of capacity at minus 20 degrees Celsius and supports ultra-fast charging at 10C, reaching 80% in about 10 minutes.
The condensed-state battery is slated for premium models such as the Nio ET9 and Huawei M9. CATL said it plans to begin mass production in the third quarter this year and said yield on its pilot production line exceeds 95%.
Industry observers described the development as a key turning point as power-battery technology shifts from liquid electrolytes toward solid electrolytes. They said higher energy density and longer range could accelerate adoption of premium EVs and broaden potential uses in emerging markets such as low-altitude aircraft and ultra-long-haul commercial vehicles.
CATL also introduced the third generation of its Shenxing ultra-fast-charging battery. The company said it achieved a full charge in just 6 minutes at room temperature, setting a new benchmark for charging speed. That is faster than the roughly 9 minutes claimed last month by rival Chinese automaker BYD for its second-generation Blade battery, CATL said.
CATL also said it plans to start mass production of sodium-ion batteries within the year. Sodium batteries are seen as a next-generation technology that can reduce dependence on lithium, cobalt and nickel, drawing attention for cost stability and supply-chain considerations.
CATL said it will also speed up expansion of battery-swapping and charging infrastructure. Working with Chinese automakers, it plans to build 100,000 charging and battery-swap stations by the end of 2028.
CATL attributed its technology push to heavy research and development spending. Chairman Zeng Yuqun said the company invested more than 100 billion yuan in R&D over the past decade, including 20 billion yuan last year. He said CATL holds more than 60,000 patents and has ranked No. 1 for six consecutive years in growth rate of patent filings.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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