CATL launches 500 Wh/kg condensed matter battery
CATL, the Chinese battery giant, has introduced a new ultra-high energy battery technology aimed at aircraft, with an automobile cell in the works.
The energy density of the “condensed matter” battery, a form of semi-solid state product with condensed electrolyte and novel anode and separator materials, will be up to 500 Wh/kg.
Wu Kai, CATL’s chief scientist, stated at the introduction ceremony at the Shanghai car show that the company is working with unnamed partners to ensure the battery is qualified for aircraft use in terms of safety and quality. CATL will also be able to begin scale production of the condensed matter battery for electric car applications later this year, according to Wu.
The new battery uses highly conductive biomimetic condensed state electrolytes to improve the conductive performance of the cells and, as a result, the efficiency of lithium-ion transport, while also increasing the microstructure’s durability.
The condensed matter battery is said to integrate “a range of innovative technologies, including the ultra-high energy density cathode materials, innovative anode materials, separators, and manufacturing processes, offering excellent charge and discharge performance as well as good safety performance,” CATL said.
However, no information on the cost of the new cells or the ingredients needed to create them has been released. A few other characteristics were also lacking, including charging efficiency, charge/discharge rate, safety ranges, and life cycles.
In recent years, the Chinese battery maker has made game-changing product announcements, producing 37% of the world’s electric-vehicle batteries and 43.4% of energy storage batteries in 2022 for a total of 289 GWh.
CATL released its first generation sodium-ion battery in 2021, with an energy density of 160 Wh/kg and a promise of 200 Wh/kg for the next iteration. It confirmed earlier this week that Chinese Chery will be the first automaker to deploy its sodium-ion battery technology.
CATL introduced the Qilin battery, the third iteration of their cell-to-pack technology, in 2022, claiming the highest integration level to date. Qilin is capable of offering a range of over 1,000 km and a record-breaking volume utilization efficiency of 72%, equal to a five-minute hot start and ten minutes of charging to go from 10-80% state of charge.
Qilin’s series production began in March of this year. These batteries have already been installed in a number of electric vehicles manufactured by ZEEKR, AITO, Li Auto, and Geely.
CATL also said on Tuesday that it plans to achieve carbon neutrality with all of its battery manufacturing units by 2025, and across the entire battery value chain by 2035.
To do so, the corporation will concentrate on lowering CO2 emissions in five major areas: mining, raw materials, battery materials, battery manufacturing, and battery systems. “Achieving carbon neutrality is our responsibility, it demonstrates our capability, and it opens up more opportunities,” CATL Board Secretary Jiang Li remarked.
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Content Credit: PV Magazine
