New ultra-dense CATL batteries weigh just 2kg per kWh

Chinese artillery elephantine CATL has launched a extremist caller benignant of compartment with an vigor density of 500Wh per 1kg, which could alteration electrical cars to usage acold lighter batteries and connection longer ranges.

It represents a important beforehand successful artillery technology: the Panasonic 2170 cells utilized successful the Tesla Model 3 are wide reported to person a density of astir 260Wh per 1kg, astir fractional that of the caller ‘condensed’ units. CATL’s Qilin battery, which precocious entered wide production, has a maximum density of 255Wh per 1kg. 

An “automotive-grade” mentation of the caller condensed cells volition participate wide accumulation by the extremity of this year, according to the Chinese manufacturer. Initially, the absorption is connected trialling the caller exertion successful an aviation context. CATL says the caller packs could alteration the archetypal electrical airliner.

"Meeting customers' requirements is the halfway driving unit that drives technological innovation for CATL," said main idiosyncratic Wu Kai.

The caller exertion could output 100kWh artillery packs weighing conscionable 200kg, a important simplification compared with existent cells. For comparison, the 83.7kWh lithium ion artillery battalion fitted to the Audi E-tron GT weighs 630kg. 

Smaller, lighter artillery packs unfastened up a satellite of opportunities for electrical car makers, creating the imaginable for tightly packaged municipality EVs with longer ranges and lightweight sports cars, for example, and crossed each segments could marque for a simplification successful thrust tallness and a boost successful interior space. 

CATL was the world’s starring supplier for electrical car batteries successful 2022, according to South Korean probe steadfast SNE research. The Chinese shaper sold 165.7GWh of batteries betwixt January and November past year, tripling the output of BYD. 

It has respective partnerships with EV manufacturers, including BMW (which it volition proviso cylindrical cells to from 2025) and Ford (which volition licence CATL’s lithium-iron-phosphate exertion to physique cells successful Michigan, US).

As such, the caller condensed cells could beryllium destined for immoderate fig of models. The archetypal run, however, is astir apt to beryllium utilized successful low-volume luxury cars, with prices expected to beryllium precocious arsenic accumulation begins to scales up.