Chinese battery industry heavyweight CATL has announced a new type of condensed battery technology with an energy density of up to 500 Wh/kg. The company said it could reach mass production this year.
The so-called “condensed matter” battery, a type of semi-solid state product with a condensed electrolyte and new anode and separator materials, has an energy density of up to 500 Wh/kg.
At the launch ceremony at the Shanghai Auto Show, CATL’s chief scientist Wu Kai said the company is working with unspecified partners to ensure the battery is suitable for flight use in terms of safety and quality. CATL may also start mass production of the battery pack for electric vehicles later this year, Wu added.
The new battery utilizes highly conductive biomimetic electrolytes in a condensed state to improve cell conductivity and, in turn, lithium ion transport efficiency, while increasing microstructural stability.
The condensed matter battery is said to integrate “a series of innovative technologies, including ultra-high energy density cathode materials, innovative anode materials, separators and manufacturing processes that provide excellent charge and discharge performance and good safety performance,” CATL said.
However, no information has been revealed about the costs of the new cells or the materials needed for their production. A few other details such as charging efficiency, charge/discharge speed, safety zones and life cycles were also missing.
The Chinese battery manufacturer, which produced 37% of the world’s electric vehicle batteries and 43.4% of energy storage batteries in 2022, totaling 289 GWh, has made groundbreaking product announcements in recent years.
In 2021, CATL released its first generation sodium-ion battery with an energy density of 160 Wh/kg and promised to increase it to 200 Wh/kg for the next generation. Earlier this week, it confirmed that China’s Chery will become the first automaker to use its sodium-ion battery technology.
In 2022, CATL unveiled the Qilin battery, its third-generation cell-to-pack technology with the highest level of integration to date. With its record-breaking 72% volume efficiency and energy density of up to 255 Wh/kg, Qilin is able to deliver a range of over 1,000 km, equivalent to a five-minute hot start and a ten-minute charge. 10-80% of the charge state.
Series production of Qilin started in March of this year. These batteries have already been used in several electric vehicles from ZEEKR, AITO, Li Auto and Geely.
On Tuesday, CATL also announced its goal to achieve carbon neutrality in all of its battery manufacturing factories by 2025 and in the entire battery value chain by 2035.
To achieve this, the company focuses on reducing carbon dioxide emissions in five key areas: mining, raw materials, battery materials, battery manufacturing and battery systems. “For CATL, achieving carbon neutrality is our responsibility, it demonstrates our capabilities and opens up more opportunities,” said Jiang Li, CATL’s board secretary.
