CATL battery boosts Tesla range by 400km in just 10 minutes

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【Summary】Chinese battery giant CATL has unveiled a new battery called Shenxing that can add up to 400km (250 miles) of range to electric vehicles in just 10 minutes of fast charging. The battery, which uses lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry, is set to go into mass production by the end of 2023, with shipping to begin in 2024. CATL is a major supplier to Tesla and has a 35% share of the global EV battery market.

FutureCar Staff Aug 22, 2023 9:59 AM PT

CATL battery boosts Tesla range by 400km in just 10 minutes

CATL, the Chinese battery giant and a major supplier to Tesla, has introduced its latest product aimed at addressing the limitations of electric vehicles' charging and range. During a launch briefing on Wednesday, Gao Han, the chief technology officer of CATL's e-car division, revealed that the battery, called Shenxing or "god-like movement," is capable of providing up to 400 kilometers (250 miles) of range in just 10 minutes.

This means that vehicles powered by the Shenxing battery can travel from New York to Boston, a distance of approximately 215 miles, after a quick 10-minute charging session. The battery is expected to enter mass production by the end of 2023, with shipping scheduled to commence in 2024.

Shenxing is being touted as the world's first 4C superfast charging LFP battery. LFP stands for lithium iron phosphate, a battery chemistry that Tesla widely adopted in 2021 for its shorter-range cars as an alternative to nickel-cobalt-aluminum.

China has been a strong advocate for LFP technology, which has been championed by its renewable energy leader, CATL. In fact, CATL currently holds a 35% share of the global EV battery market, according to research firm SNE. LFP batteries are known for their affordability and chemical stability, although they have a lower energy density compared to other battery chemistries, which can limit the range of electric vehicles.

CATL's impressive growth has been fueled by the booming EV industry in China in recent years. However, as government subsidies decrease and consumption contracts due to the post-COVID economic downturn, the EV sector is experiencing a slowdown. Additionally, CATL faces fierce competition from BYD, the Chinese EV giant that also manufactures its own batteries. In the first quarter, BYD held a 16.2% share of the global EV battery market, trailing behind CATL in second place.