Chinese company CATL announced on June 23 that its third-generation battery with superior energy performance will begin production next year.
The new generation battery from CATL, named Qilin after a mythical creature in Chinese folklore, will feature an energy density of up to 255 Wh/kg and provide a record mass utilization efficiency of 72%. It achieves the highest integration level worldwide, easily offering a range of over 1,000 km for vehicles on a single charge.
Qilin is also equipped with micrometer-sized bridges within the interlayer.
With the same chemical system and package size, the Qilin battery delivers 13% more energy than the 4680 battery, achieving comprehensive improvements in range, charging speed, safety, lifespan, and performance.
CATL has integrated a liquid cooling plate and a heat dissipation plate into the multifunctional elastic interlayer within the battery. The Qilin also features micrometer-sized bridges within the interlayer, allowing for flexible adjustments to internal changes in the battery cell, thereby enhancing the battery’s reliability throughout its entire lifecycle.
The integrated power unit, comprising battery cells and multifunctional elastic interlayers, creates a more stable load-bearing structure perpendicular to the driving direction, enhancing the shock and vibration resistance of the battery pack.
The Qilin’s cleverly shared bottom design allows for intelligent arrangement of various components, including structural protection, high-voltage connections, and a vent for heat dissipation, adding an extra 6% battery capacity.
The battery is cooled by liquid cooling components placed between adjacent cells, and pioneering large surface cell cooling technology increases the heat transfer area fourfold, halving thermal control time, supporting hot starts in 5 minutes, and enabling rapid charging in just 10 minutes.
Qilin battery design. (Video: CATL)
Furthermore, Qilin has achieved thermal stability and safety for all chemical systems, making it compatible with materials that have higher energy densities.
CATL’s third-generation battery is expected to begin mass production and be available on the market in 2023. The Chinese technology company has not disclosed whether any electric vehicle manufacturers have ordered the Qilin battery.
From micro-world simulation calculations to the artistic streamlining within the battery structure, CATL emphasizes its continuous focus on technological innovation, aiming to promote the development of electric vehicles as a replacement for fossil fuels.
