The range of electric vehicles, and therefore the capacity and power of the batteries that power them, is an ongoing debate. ‘How far can I drive with a full battery?’ That’s one of the first questions many potential electric car buyers ask. And the answers from the manufacturers are not always completely ‘honest’. The WLTP range is protected, but almost everyone knows that you cannot blindly rely on it. Just like the fuel consumption statements from the past.
Condensed battery of 500 Wh/kg
To address the range issue of EVs, more powerful batteries with more capacity are needed. And of course they must also remain within limits in terms of size and weight. CATL, a Chinese battery developer, presented last week, at the Shanghai auto show, a small innovation in this field. Initially intended to boost the development of electrically powered aircraft. Capacity, power and weight are an even more important factor there.
The new battery, a so-called condensed battery, from CATL has an energy density of up to 500 Wh/kg. Thanks to a new technology using highly conductive biomimetic condensed electrolytes, the battery achieves a high energy density and a high level of safety. This offers new opportunities for the electrification of passenger aircraft. CATL says it will be able to start mass production of these new condensed batteries in the short term
Better conductivity between the cells
For the techies among our readers, CATL explains how the new battery technology works. The biomimetic condensed electrolytes can construct a micron-level self-adaptive net structure that can adjust the inter-chain interactive forces. This improves the conductive performance of the cells, and in turn improves the efficiency of lithium ion transport, while increasing the stability of the microstructure.
“The launch of condensed batteries ushers in an era of universal electrification of marine, land and air transportation. It also opens more opportunities for industry development and promotes the achievement of global carbon neutrality targets at an earlier point in time,” said CATL.
