CATL, a Tesla partner in China, has announced the third generation of its cell-to-pack (CTP) battery technology, which the company claims can offer “1,000 kilometers in a breeze” and has rapid charging in 10 minutes.
Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd., better known in Western circles as CATL, last weeek announced the launch of its latest EV battery, the Qilin, which the company claims has a “record-breaking” volume utilisation efficiency of 72% and an energy density of up to 255 Wh/kg – achieving “the highest integration level worldwide so far”.
It has a 1,000-kilometer range, and the Qilin battery – named after a legendary beast in Chinese mythology – is said to offer advancements in the basic process, algorithm, and materials.
As CATL’s third-generation CTP battery, Qilin incorporates liquid cooling to increase the heat transfer area by four times, cutting thermal control time in half and supporting a hot start in 5 minutes and fast charging in 10 minutes.
This cooling structure also allows the cell to swiftly cool down under extreme conditions, aiding in the prevention of anomalous thermal conduction across cells and achieving thermal stability and safety for all of the battery’s chemical processes, making it compatible with higher energy density materials.
Or, to put it another way, the Qilin battery is safer and more durable than many existing battery cells.
The Qilin is also 13% more powerful than Tesla’s upcoming new 4680 battery technology, and has the longest range offered by any mainstream manufacturer yet.
Expected to begin mass production and reach the market in 2023, Qilin has already racked up its first customers, with Chinese electric vehicle start-ups Li Auto and Hozon New Energy Automobile already signing on to purchase the battery for its vehicles.
