Chinese power battery giant CATL said that it has developed new materials for lithium-ion batteries that would sharply improve charging efficiency for electric vehicles, especially in extreme cold.
Wu Kai, CATL’s chief scientist, said that the company had developed new electrolyte materials that could sharply improve the charging efficiency of current lithium-ion battery designs.
The new electrolyte could deliver a 50% increase in efficiency in extreme cold at minus 20 degrees Celsius and 43% under more normal temperatures, he said.
CATL will be able to mass produce a battery capable of delivering 400 kilometers of driving range with a 10-minute charge this year and aims to shorten the charge time to 5 -7 minutes as its next target, he said.