In what could be a breakthrough for electric vehicles, particularly in Australia where range has been a key issue, a major battery manufacturer has announced a new product with 1000km driving range.
CATL has launched Shenxing PLUS at Auto China 2024 this week and what they claim is the world’s first Lithium-Ion Phosphate battery that achieves a range above 1,000 kilometres.
Range for current EVs varies depending on model and price but many major brands with long range capabilities for Tesla, Mercedes Benz, BMW, Polestar and Hyundia can now claim more than 600km range on a full charge. Lower priced models often designed specifically for urban travel cannot take you as far but most can still manage 300-400km in range.
Nevertheless the uptake of EVs in regional areas in Australia has been slow and even though these distances would accommodate daily commutes for most people, range continues to be an issue in perceptions of electric vehicles.
But the milestone 1000km mark represents a distance greater than that from Melbourne to Sydney or Sydney to Brisbane on a single charge and could potentially change this perception.
The Chinese battery giant CATL currently provides batteries to a range of models including Tesla, Ford, Volvo and Polestar.
Lithium Ion Phosphate batteries have the advantage of being cheaper and can be charged more frequently compared to nickel manganese cobalt units which are often more energy dense, charge more quickly and perform better in cold weather.
But CATL claims a 600-km range in just 10 minutes of charging, and is able to meet “a true superfast” charging speed of one kilometre per second.
In a statement CATL releases the detailsof its battery innovation that makes the battery denser and potentially lighter for the same output of power
“The cathode of Shenxing PLUS is made with a granular gradation technology, which places every nanometer particle in the optimal position to achieve ultra-high compact density. The proprietary 3D honeycomb-shaped material is added to the anode, boosting the energy density while effectively controlling the volume expansion during charge and discharge cycles. The single-piece casing, which is an industry first, optimizes the internal space utilization, allowing the Shenxing PLUS cells to reach an unprecedented energy density level.
“At the system level, the Shenxing PLUS battery pack has a topological structure optimized on top of module-free CTP 3.0 technology, enhancing the packing efficiency by 7 per cent. Through breakthroughs in materials and structure, the Shenxing battery system’s energy density surpasses the 200 Wh/kg threshold for the first time, reaching 205 Wh/kg, making ranges over 1,000 kilometres a reality.”