More game-changing battery tech from China

China’s dominant battery manufacturer CATL has unveiled a suite of revolutionary technologies that promise to transform electric vehicle performance, cost and charging.

Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited, which supplies batteries to 16 of the world’s top car-makers, held a commanding 38 per cent share of the global EV battery market in 2024.

The company’s latest innovations target competition from rivals such as BYD and Tesla through advances in ultra-fast lithium batteries, mass-producible sodium-ion cells and an expanded battery-swapping platform.

At its Super Tech Day event, CATL chair and CEO Robin Zeng announced that all future battery innovations will be applied to the company’s Choco-SEB (chocolate swapping electric block) platform, which now supports 10 new vehicle models from five major Chinese car-makers.

Participating manufacturers include GAC Group, BAIC Group, FAW Group, Changan Auto and Chery Auto, with vehicles ranging from luxury sedans to compact SUVs.

Models compatible with the swapping system include the GAC Aion UT, RT and V “Tyrannosaurus”, BAIC Arcfox family sedan, FAW Hongqi EH7, Changan Qiyuan A05 and A07, Deepal SL03 and Chery iCAR V23 SUV.

CATL currently operates its battery swap network in 16 cities and plans to expand to 1000 stations in 30 cities by the end of 2025 through partnerships with companies including Sinopec, Nio and Didi.

The company has introduced two standardised modular battery sizes – the 20# and 25# blocks – similar in concept to fuel grades, available with either lithium iron phosphate (LFP) or ternary chemistry cells.

The 20# block delivers 42kWh with LFP chemistry for approximately 400km range, or 52kWh with ternary chemistry for 500km range. The larger 25# block provides 56kWh (LFP) for 500km range or 70kWh (ternary) for 600km range.

A new subscription model means users pay monthly for battery access rather than owning the battery outright, with the 25# LFP battery priced at ¥599 ($A128) per month for unlimited mileage or ¥499 ($A107) for up to 3000km.

One of CATL’s most anticipated announcements was the launch of its Naxtra sodium-ion battery line, ready for mass production by December this year.

Sodium’s abundance and lower cost compared with lithium makes it promising for safer, more affordable batteries.

The Naxtra passenger EV battery delivers energy density of 175Wh/kg – comparable to current LFP batteries – and retains 90 per cent performance at minus 40ºC.

The battery supports ultra-fast 5C charging speed (five times the battery’s capacity per hour) with a projected lifespan of 10,000 cycles.

CATL demonstrated the battery’s safety in extreme conditions, showing resistance to puncture, drilling and other stress tests without fire or explosion.

However, sodium-ion batteries still trail lithium-ion cells in energy density, with Naxtra’s estimated 500km range falling short of similar-sized ternary batteries.

CATL chief technology officer Gao Huan said the technology’s appeal lies in sodium’s relative abundance, promising lower production costs and stability.

The Naxtra 24V battery for commercial vehicles aims to replace lead-acid batteries in heavy-duty trucks, claimed to last more than eight years and lowering total lifecycle costs by 61 per cent compared with conventional batteries.

CATL’s first sodium-ion battery customer will be First Auto Works, a truck manufacturer based in northeastern China, where extreme cold often hampers conventional lithium battery performance.

The company also introduced the second generation of its Shenxing LFP battery, claiming it can deliver 520km of range with just a five-minute charge under optimal conditions.

In laboratory tests, the battery reached 80 per cent charge from zero in 15 minutes even at minus 10ºC, supporting up to 800km range on a full charge.

CATL positions the Shenxing battery ahead of competitors, claiming it outperforms BYD’s latest high-performance cells by offering 112km more range – CATL’s claimed 520km capability compared with BYD’s 402km, both achievable with ultra-fast charging.

For context, Tesla’s latest Supercharger stations can deliver up to 322km of range in 15 minutes.

“Our goal is to make the CATL Shenxing supercharging battery the standard for electric vehicles, bringing users a more convenient and freer travel experience,” said Mr Gao.

More than 67 EV models are expected to adopt the Shenxing battery this year, although CATL did not disclose specific makes or models.

CATL also unveiled the Freevoy Dual-Power Battery System, combining two distinct battery chemistries such as LFP and sodium-ion within a single pack.

This “twin-engine” system enables vehicles to optimise performance and range by leveraging the complementary strengths of each chemistry.

With two independent energy zones operating at different voltages on separate safety, structural and thermal management systems, the design draws inspiration from aircraft engineering redundancy principles.

CATL claims the Freevoy system enables plug-in hybrids to achieve electric-only driving ranges of up to 400km and total ranges exceeding 1500km.

The system has been adopted in models from brands including Neta, Changan, Deepal and Avatr, with future expansion planned into trucking, buses, ships, aircraft and industrial storage.