Slow charging times and limited range continues to be a fear among many car buyers considering the switch to electric mobility, but a new fast-charging battery developed in China may help end that. — Photo: Patrick Pleul/dpa
NINDGE: A Chinese company has revealed what is billed as the world's first superfast charging lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery capable of delivering 400 km of driving after charging for just 10 minutes.
The battery can also manage a range of over 700 km on a single full charge, claims maker CATL, which says its Shenxing cell will usher in an "era of super-fast charging of electric vehicles."
CATL believes its new fast-charging battery will help solve the issues of range anxiety and slow charging times, as its LFP battery "embodies the perfect balance of long range and easy refuelling."
CATL is China's largest battery manufacturer, supplying cells to car and bus manufacturers. The name is an acronym of Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited.
Mass production of the lithium iron phosphate cell is expected to begin this year and be available from the first quarter of 2024, CATL says.
"As EV consumers shift from pioneering users to ordinary users, we should make advanced technology accessible for all and enable everyone to savour the fruits of innovation," said CATL chief scientist Wu Kai said at the launch event in Ningde on Wednesday.
China leads the market for batteries for electric cars. In December last year, CATL started its first production facility outside China in the German state of Thuringia. – dpa
