A CATL sign stands outside its research and development hub and the Chinese battery maker’s headquarters in Ningde, Fujian province, China November 8, 2024.
Kevin Krolicki | Reuters
China’s CATL, the world’s largest supplier of EV batteries, announced a set of latest incoming products Monday, including a battery it claims has set a “recent global record for superfast charging technology.”
In a post on WeChat, the corporate — Contemporary Amperex Technology Company Ltd. — said that its second-generation Shenxing battery could add 520 km (323 miles) of driving range from just five minutes of charging time— only barely longer than it takes to refuel gas cars.
This appears to place CATL’s fast charging ahead of that of Chinese EV giant and Tesla rival BYD, which last month surprised the industry with a charging system it claimed could add about 400 km in range to its batteries also in about 5 minutes.
Some analysts were skeptical about BYD’s claims, noting potential technical hurdles and high costs. Nonetheless, if proved feasible on a bigger scale, the tech could help the EV industry alleviate consumer concerns about electric vehicle range and convenience.
CATL’s latest claims would also place its cutting-edge charging speeds comfortably ahead of those of its Western competitors. Tesla’s latest superchargers can add as much as 270 kilometers of range in quarter-hour, while Mercedes-Benz Group recently said certainly one of its batteries can recharge as much as 325 kilometers inside 10 minutes.
The brand new Shenxing product can be the world’s first lithium iron phosphate battery with each an 800 km range and a 12C peak charging rate, CATL said. It added that the battery outperforms the industry’s highest current charging level in low-temperature environments of -10°C.
On Monday, CATL also revealed recent batteries inside its “Naxtra” series, which it said can be “the world’s first mass produced sodium-ion battery,” reducing the EV industry’s reliance on lithium.
The corporate added that sodium-ion batteries could help decrease maintenance costs and are able to performing in extreme temperatures of -40°C to +70°C.
One among the Naxtra batteries was specifically for heavy-duty trucks, which the corporate said offers over eight years of service life while providing reduced lifecycle costs and better efficiency than traditional lead-acid batteries.
Shenzhen-listed shares of CATL were trading up about 1% on Tuesday.
