China is the biggest producer of batteries in the world. The country’s exports are anticipated to rise from eleven to twelve digits in the next decade. Demand from countries outside of China is predicted to continuously expand. This will happen as long as prices stay competitive and technological capabilities and product quality of Chinese goods continue to advance.
In addition, it is projected that there would be a rise in exports due to the growth of downstream businesses such as manufacturing automobiles and telephones. China’s leading manufacturers of battery materials for electric vehicles plan to invest at least 71 billion yuan or $10.8 billion to significantly increase their output. They want to triple their production capacity in several product categories where they have become the market leaders. Because of this, electric car drivers may never have to worry about how far they can travel on a full charge again.
At the very least, in China. What’s up, everyone! In this article, let’s unpack this new battery technology that is being developed by a famous global brand that will surely change the EV game! Although smartphones, smart homes, EVs, and even smart wearables are becoming more powerful, they are still constrained by how much electricity they consume.
For decades, their battery hasn’t progressed. However, a power shift is just around the corner. The limitations of lithium-ion batteries are well-known to the world’s largest technology and automobile businesses. Even while CPUs and operating systems are becoming more power-efficient, a smartphone’s battery life is only suitable for a few days before it needs to be recharged.
Because of this, battery manufacturers like CATL are constantly innovating to better their own operations as well as the lives of us all. The Qilin The “Qilin” battery was unveiled by Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. (CATL), the world’s largest battery provider to the automotive sector. According to the manufacturer, an electric vehicle can drive 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) “in a breeze” with the battery’s energy-dense cell-to-pack technology.
The Qilin battery is the third version of CTP 3.0 of CATL’s cell-to-pack (CTP) battery technology. It was given its name after a famous creature from Chinese mythology. CATL claims that the battery has the world’s highest-volume utilization efficiency of 72 percent and an energy density of up to 255 Watt hour per kilogram. This would easily give ranges of over 600 miles. The Qilin has the potential to revolutionize the automotive industry and lead to a global shift toward electric automobiles.
This is compared to a cell-to-pack ratio of 49% and an energy density of 173 Wh/L for the Tesla Model 3’s LFP batteries. CATL also supplies Tesla’s Shanghai facility with batteries for its electric vehicles. CATL claims that it can charge from 10% to 80% in 10 minutes, which is faster than anything currently on the market. However, they are all just guesses. Until then, we’ll have to wait until the next-generation battery is on the road to see how it works.
How does this new battery work? To boost range, fast-charging, safety, service life, efficiency, and cold-weather performance, Qilin CTP batteries can offer 13 percent more power than Tesla’s 4680 battery cells. Unlike conventional EV batteries, consisting of several interconnected modules housing the cells, cell-to- pack batteries are constructed entirely of separate modules. Instead, the battery pack is effectively a single unit.
This design maximizes space usage and eliminates the need for electronics and cooling systems for connected models. The volume utilization efficiency of CATL’s first CTP battery, introduced in 2019, was slightly over 50%. According to CATL, innovations in the fundamental production process, materials, and battery structure design were responsible for the Qilin battery’s advances.
For starters, CATL reorganized the way various components worked together. The Qilin battery’s internal crossbeam, liquid-cooling plate, and thermal pad have been incorporated into what CATL terms a “multifunctional elastic interlayer.” This helps accommodate the cell’s internal changes, enhancing battery durability throughout its lifecycle.
The CTP battery’s shock and vibration resistance are improved thanks to the integrated energy unit’s more stable load-bearing construction. This is made up of the cell and the multifunctional elastic interlayer. The Qilin has a water-cooled design, as well. Rather than placing the liquid cooling functioning pieces at the bottom of a typical EV battery pack, CATL’s engineers positioned them between consecutive cells.
CATL says this design makes four times as much space for heat to move, which helps keep the battery cooler. If there is any aberrant thermal runaway conduction among cells, it can cause fires if they cool down too slowly. Higher charging rates are also supported by the enhanced cooling system. According to CATL, the Qilin battery’s interior architecture allows for the clever arrangement of numerous components. This includes structural protection, high-voltage connection, and a protective vent for thermal runaway.
This would enhance the battery’s capacity by 6%. —- CATL announced a net profit gain of 185 percent last year compared to 2020 as the market for electric vehicle batteries grows. As expected, CATL’s net profit for 2021 has more than doubled to 15.93 billion yuan ($2.47 billion), which is well ahead of analysts’ forecasts. Last year, CATL reported lithium-ion battery sales of 133.4 GWh. Which is a 184.8 percent increase over the previous 12 months.
Sales of the company’s power battery systems increased by 162.5 percent year- on-year to 116.7 GWh. Around 1.2 million electric vehicles may be powered by 120 GWh. When will the EV industry make use of this new battery? We anticipate widespread production and commercial availability of the Qilin batteries by 2023. Phase 1 manufacturing of CATL’s new EV battery facility in China began in December 2021.
At 120 GWh a year, this plant will be the world’s largest electric vehicle battery manufacturer. The facility will be three times as large as Tesla’s Nevada gigafactory. CATL is investing 17 billion yuan or US$2.6 billion in the facility and expects to create roughly 10,000 jobs when it fully operates. Additionally, CATL is attempting to make the manufacturing of EV batteries carbon-free.
CATL subsidiary Sichuan Contemporary Amperex Technology Limited acquired internationally recognized carbon neutrality specification for its new electric vehicle battery plant in Sichuan, China. Due to the recent PAS 2060 accreditation, the facility is now the first of its kind to produce zero-carbon batteries. CATL’s latest certification is a significant step toward its aim of carbon neutrality. They are also an example of how EV battery manufacturers can become carbon neutral in the future.
According to persons familiar with the plans, CATL is in the process of selecting a location for battery manufacturing in the United States. CATL plans to build a battery manufacturing plant in North America for the first time. Ford Motor Co. and BMW are in talks with CATL about supplying batteries. This means the potential factory locations include South Carolina, where BMW’s U.S. assembly is based, or Kentucky, where Ford already has two assembly facilities.
CATL is also a supplier of batteries for Honda, Volkswagen, Volvo, and Mercedes Benz. Unfortunately, U.S. consumers’ lack of interest in electric vehicles is a major factor in the battery industry’s decline. Washington hasn’t granted buyers the same incentives as China, so EVs are still more expensive than conventional automobiles. As a result, the demand for batteries from U.S. automakers has decreased. —- Are you excited about this new battery technology? Do you think this will lower the prices of Tesla cars or not? Tell me what you think in the comment box below, and let’s talk about it!. Thank You.
