New breakthrough from CATL: 6.5-minute charging and a range of up to 1500 km
Electric vehicles have many advantages: they are fast, quiet, offer excellent layout and simpler maintenance compared to internal combustion engine vehicles. However, the main problem remains the “refueling” process. The charging station infrastructure lags significantly behind the gas station network, and the charging process itself can take a long time. CATL claims to have found a solution: a new battery capable of charging from 10% to 98% in just 6.5 minutes.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the new Shenxing 3 battery achieves this figure in approximately 6.5 minutes, surpassing the nine-minute charging that BYD introduced just last month. Analysts at Bernstein noted that this technology “effectively bridges the gap with internal combustion engine vehicles.”
Technical specifications and frost resistance
CATL claims that the new battery supports a charging rate of 10C and can charge from 10% to 80% in 3 minutes and 44 seconds. Even more impressive is that the company guarantees charging from 20% to 98% in approximately nine minutes even at a temperature of -30 degrees Celsius. Most importantly, such fast rates do not damage the battery in the long term. According to CATL, the Shenxing 3 retains over 90% of its capacity after 1000 full charge cycles.
New Qilin batteries: lightweight and record range
CATL has also introduced the new Qilin 3 battery, which, according to the company, provides a range of up to 1000 km with a weight of just 625 kg. This makes it significantly lighter than its counterparts, which, in the company’s view, improves efficiency, acceleration, braking, and handling. But that’s not all.
The new Qilin Condensed battery is capable of providing up to 1500 km of range in a sedan or over 1000 km in a large SUV. Obviously, such a range would be a huge advantage for the electric vehicle industry, as it would reduce range anxiety and the need for additional charging infrastructure.
Future plans and mass production
CATL states that the Shenxing 3 and Qilin 3 batteries are intended for production vehicles, not distant concepts. The first applications are likely to appear within the next year. The more ambitious Qilin Condensed battery will appear later, while CATL’s sodium-ion battery is expected to enter mass production by the end of 2026.
These achievements from CATL could radically change the electric vehicle market. If the claimed specifications are confirmed in practice, the problem of long charging times, which has held back many potential buyers, will virtually disappear. The combination of ultra-fast charging with a huge range makes electric vehicles using these batteries not just an alternative but direct competitors to traditional cars. Particularly important is that the company is betting on various technologies: from ultra-fast charging to battery swapping, allowing it to cover different market segments and consumer needs. It is worth noting that the competition between CATL and BYD in the area of charging speed is only accelerating progress, which ultimately benefits all market participants and end consumers.