Photo: CATL | Edited
China's CATL announced a new battery type at Auto Shanghai 2023. The so-called condensed battery is a semi-solid state battery that promises to offer a 500-Wh/kg energy density while being safer than regular Li-ion batteries.
CATL is the biggest Li-ion battery producer by far and one of the primary cell suppliers to Tesla. Although mainly known for its LFP battery cells, CATL works on other chemistries, including solid-state and sodium- and calcium-based batteries. The Chinese company announced at Auto Shanghai 2023 a new type of battery called "condensed battery." CATL thinks the battery is safe enough to be used on aircraft and aims to achieve mass production "in a short period of time."
According to the CATL announcement, the new battery has an energy density of 500 Wh/kg, much higher than existing Li-ion cells. This is almost double the energy density of Tesla's battery cells, which are considered among the best in the world. CATL uses highly conductive biomimetic condensed-state electrolytes to get to this level, which explains the battery name. The condensed battery features ultra-high energy density cathode materials and new anode materials, separators, and manufacturing processes.
CATL claims the condensed batteries offer an impressive charge and discharge performance as well as increased safety. The Chinese battery manufacturer has not revealed the fast-charging capabilities of the new cells nor how many cycles they can endure. However, the technical description offered by CATL points to faster-charging rates than regular Li-ion batteries achieve today.
The condensed battery is a semi-solid state battery whose condensed electrolyte creates a micron-level self-adaptive net structure that can adjust the interactive forces created among the chains. This improves the conductive performance of the cells and the efficiency of lithium-ion transporting while boosting the stability of the microstructure. CATL thinks this is a significant achievement, pushing the boundaries of Li-ion battery development.
The new batteries are lighter for the same capacity and offer a high level of safety, making them suitable for powering electric aircraft. CATL is already testing the new batteries with unspecified partners under aviation-grade safety and quality requirements. More interestingly, the Chinese manufacturer will launch an automotive-grade version of the condensed battery, with mass production planned by the end of the year.
CATL mentioned the condensed batteries last June, days after the company unveiled the Qilin battery with an energy density of 255 Wh/kg. The Qilin battery is an innovation in battery packaging, not chemistry, so the new cell-to-pack (CTP) architecture can be used with different chemistries. In contrast, condensed batteries are a chemistry innovation.
Several car and battery companies work on developing semi-solid-state batteries, but CATL is the most advanced. NIO recently announced a 150-kWh semi-solid-state battery with an energy density of 360 Wh/kg. Still, NIO's battery is utterly expensive, costing as much as an ET5 sedan, as the company's CEO Qin Lihong revealed.
According to the CATL announcement, the new battery has an energy density of 500 Wh/kg, much higher than existing Li-ion cells. This is almost double the energy density of Tesla's battery cells, which are considered among the best in the world. CATL uses highly conductive biomimetic condensed-state electrolytes to get to this level, which explains the battery name. The condensed battery features ultra-high energy density cathode materials and new anode materials, separators, and manufacturing processes.
CATL claims the condensed batteries offer an impressive charge and discharge performance as well as increased safety. The Chinese battery manufacturer has not revealed the fast-charging capabilities of the new cells nor how many cycles they can endure. However, the technical description offered by CATL points to faster-charging rates than regular Li-ion batteries achieve today.
The condensed battery is a semi-solid state battery whose condensed electrolyte creates a micron-level self-adaptive net structure that can adjust the interactive forces created among the chains. This improves the conductive performance of the cells and the efficiency of lithium-ion transporting while boosting the stability of the microstructure. CATL thinks this is a significant achievement, pushing the boundaries of Li-ion battery development.
The new batteries are lighter for the same capacity and offer a high level of safety, making them suitable for powering electric aircraft. CATL is already testing the new batteries with unspecified partners under aviation-grade safety and quality requirements. More interestingly, the Chinese manufacturer will launch an automotive-grade version of the condensed battery, with mass production planned by the end of the year.
CATL mentioned the condensed batteries last June, days after the company unveiled the Qilin battery with an energy density of 255 Wh/kg. The Qilin battery is an innovation in battery packaging, not chemistry, so the new cell-to-pack (CTP) architecture can be used with different chemistries. In contrast, condensed batteries are a chemistry innovation.
Several car and battery companies work on developing semi-solid-state batteries, but CATL is the most advanced. NIO recently announced a 150-kWh semi-solid-state battery with an energy density of 360 Wh/kg. Still, NIO's battery is utterly expensive, costing as much as an ET5 sedan, as the company's CEO Qin Lihong revealed.
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