The new CATL condensed battery will power electric planes
At this year’s Shanghai auto show, Chinese battery manufacturer CATL has revealed their new CATL condensed battery that contains 500Wh/kg energy density. Announcing that they will produce a high energy density battery that can sustain electric planes, CATL now aims for the skies after already staking its position in EV batteries.
Sharing details of the new CATL condensed battery, aforementioned 500Wh/kg energy density is double its competitors and provides other opportunities including electric plane propulsion. According to CATL, this state-of-the-art battery technology offers a high level of safety in a lighter compact form, opening up a completely new world of electric mobility, especially for electric passenger aircrafts.
In order to understand and put into practice aviation-level safety, quality, and testing criteria, CATL claims that they are already collaborating with partners in the development of electric aircrafts. CATL stated the following at the Shanghai Auto Show:
“To address the changes of the super high energy density materials resulting from electrochemical reactions, CATL’s condensed battery leverages highly conductive biomimetic condensed state electrolytes to construct a micron-level self-adaptive net structure that can adjust the interactive forces among the chains, thus improving the conductive performance of the cells and in turn the efficiency of lithium ion transporting while boosting stability of the microstructure. What is more, condensed battery integrates a range of innovative technologies, including the ultra-high energy density cathode materials, innovative anode materials, separators, and manufacturing processes, offering excellent charge and discharge performance as well as good safety performance.
CATL also claims that they are confident in their ability to quickly accomplish condensed EV battery mass production. The new CATL condensed battery will first be released in an automotive-grade version, which CATL claims will enter mass production this year, before being incorporated into electric aircrafts.