Advertisement
CATL’s EV battery breakthrough holds promise as cost-effective, game-changing alternative the industry’s waiting for
- CATL makes rapid progress on sodium-ion batteries, improving the performance of the alternative technology to the mainstay lithium-ion batteries
- The commercialisation of sodium-ion batteries is still some time away, as it will take time to fine-tune products that are a viable option to lithium-ion, say analysts
6-MIN READ6-MIN
10
The first of a three-part series on battery packs looks at the world’s largest producer CATL and how it occupies the apex of a technological revolution to assemble cheaper and more durable cells to power electric cars.
Ningde in southeastern China’s Fujian province, known primarily for its tea plantations, seldom rolls off the tongue in automotive circles or the technology industry.
But on a rainy Friday in late May, the city of fewer than 3 million people was the epicentre of a major technological breakthrough, one that could shake up the world’s supply of battery packs, giving China the technological and competitive edge in providing cheap and durable power source for driving electric vehicles.
Robin Zeng Yuqun, the founder and chairman of Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL), revealed that the world’s largest producer of EV battery packs – with customers from BMW to Tesla – was making progress with sodium-ion batteries. Two months later, CATL unveiled its first generation of sodium-ion batteries, and came up with a solution to mix its mainstay lithium-ion packs with the alternative technology into new packs to optimise performance.
Select Voice
Select Speed
1x
AI-generated voice