New CATL batteries set to transform EVs
New-gen batteries for electric cars claimed to be lighter, safer and provide much longer rangeChinese electric car component supplier CATL has launched revolutionary new batteries that are claimed to be up to 1.5 times more energy dense compared to the most advanced Tesla battery.
Claimed to offer an ultra-dense energy capacity of up to 500Wh per kilogram, CATL’s new cells are almost twice as energy rich as its recently introduced Qilin batteries which have a maximum density of 255Wh/kg.
The radical new batteries also usurp the industry-leading Tesla 4680 battery tech that is rumoured to have an energy density of up to 296Wh/kg.
Leveraging “highly conductive biomimetics condensed state electrolyte” technology, CATL says the new cells use ultra-high energy density cathode materials, a new anode and separator material that are not only good at charging but should prove better at discharging its current at a higher rate – good news for hypercars.
As well as more power density and superior charging and discharging capability, CATL says the new chemistry will also make the batteries safer.
According to CATL, the technology opens up new opportunities in aviation, with the Chinese supplier now working with partners to produce the world’s first electric passenger aircraft.
Automotive applications will begin first, with the new batteries set to enter production later this year.
No car company has yet announced it will use the new ultra-dense cells, but the weight savings alone could see them queuing up.
It’s thought the new tech could mean a 100kWh power pack would tip the scales at around 200kg – an enormous saving over the 630kg mass for an 83.7kWh battery in cars like the Audi Q8 e-tron.
“As electrification extends from the land to the sky, aircrafts will become cleaner and smarter,” CATL said in a statement.
“The launch of condensed batteries will usher in an era of universal electrification of sea, land and air transportation, open up more possibilities of the development of the industry, and promote the achieving of the global carbon neutrality goals at an earlier date.”
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