CATL unveils 621-mile EV battery and under-7-minute charging tech as rivalry with BYD intensifies.
China’s CATL on Tuesday introduced a new set of electric vehicle battery technologies, including a lighter battery pack rated for a 1,000-km driving range and an upgraded fast-charging battery that can go from 10 percent to 98 percent in under seven minutes.
The launches were made during a 90-minute event in Beijing ahead of the Beijing Auto Show, where automakers are expected to showcase next-generation EVs and connected technologies.
CATL said its latest Qilin battery — a high-energy-density pack often paired with nickel manganese cobalt cells for long range and improved space efficiency — can deliver a 1,000-km driving range. It is designed to deliver long range while reducing battery pack weight.
The company said the product is aimed at automakers facing tighter efficiency rules in China and other markets.
It also rolled out an upgraded Shenxing battery — CATL’s fast-charging lithium iron phosphate pack,—that targets one of the biggest barriers to EV adoption: charging time. CATL said the pack can recharge from 10 percent to 98 percent in less than seven minutes.
Faster charging pushThe new Shenxing battery marks a significant improvement over CATL’s previous version, which charged from 5 percent to 80 percent in 15 minutes, according to Financial Times.
The move also sharpens CATL’s competition with domestic rival BYD, whose latest Blade battery reportedly charges from 10 percent to 97 percent in about nine minutes.
CATL and BYD together control more than half of the global EV battery market, making their technology race important for automakers worldwide seeking lower costs, faster charging, and longer range.
The company also announced plans to begin mass delivery of sodium-ion batteries in the fourth quarter. Sodium-ion technology is seen as a lower-cost alternative that could reduce dependence on lithium, cobalt, and nickel.
Robin Zeng, CATL chairman, said the batteries could offer a “resource-resilient option for future large-scale and wide-reaching energy transitions,” according to Reuters.
Bigger China ambitionsCATL said it will also expand battery swapping and charging infrastructure across China. The company plans to build 100,000 charging and swapping stations with a group of Chinese carmakers by the end of 2028.
That would deepen China’s already strong lead in EV infrastructure while giving drivers more options to recharge or swap depleted packs quickly.
“The boundaries of electrochemistry are still far from being reached, and the possibilities of materials science are still far from being exhausted,” Zeng told reporters and investors in Beijing, according to FT.
CATL remains the world’s largest EV battery maker and supplies major automakers, including Tesla, Toyota, Xiaomi, and several Chinese EV brands.
According to SNE Research, CATL’s share of global EV battery usage rose to 42.1 percent in the first two months of the year, up from 38.7 percent a year earlier.
The latest announcements show CATL is trying to stay ahead not only through scale, but by pushing charging speed, battery chemistry, and long-range performance at the same time.
CATL China Evs EV Battery Fast Charging Qilin Battery Shenxing Battery Sodium-Ion Battery
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