CATL
The world’s largest manufacturer of batteries for electric vehicles, the Chinese company CATL, has introduced a number of new developments in the field of batteries.
This is an upgraded version of the Shenxing battery, which allows to increase the range to 520 km during a 5-minute charge. This is more than the 400 km promised by the closest competitor — BYD for the same charging time.
According to CATL representatives, its system is capable of providing a charging speed of 1.3 MW even at temperatures as low as -10°C. Shenxing’s upgraded batteries can charge from 5 to 80% in 15 minutes.
CATL also introduced a new sodium-ion battery called Naxtra. By information according to Bloomberg, the new cells are already suitable for commercial use and have been tested under a range of extreme conditions of high and low temperatures. The new batteries are capable of providing up to 200 km of range for hybrid cars and up to 500 km — for electric cars.
According to some experts, sodium has an advantage over lithium in batteries. The use of sodium is more economically feasible and does not pose a risk thermal expansion as is the case with lithium batteries.
CATL representatives believe that sodium-ion batteries can replace up to half of the lithium-iron-phosphate batteries on the market. In addition, the company introduced a dual-powered battery capable of providing a maximum range of up to 1.5 thousand kilometers on a single charge This battery combines a conventional fast-charging cell with a separate auxiliary unit to improve performance.
However, Donald Trump’s trade war with China is unlikely to allow CATL’s new developments to enter the US market. CATL batteries are used in a wide range of electric vehicles, including Tesla and Ford. And while the company could license its technology to American automakers, rising tensions are likely to make this difficult in the near term.
In addition, the Pentagon recently added CATL to the list of Chinese military companies, which will further complicate its business in the US market.
Source: The Verge