The world’s largest manufacturer of batteries for electric vehicles recently introduced a new battery cell that it claims can be recharged quickly enough to rival gas-powered cars. Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited, or CATL, said the new “Shenxing” battery can charge up to nearly 250 miles of range in a mere 10 minutes, Bloomberg reports.
Although that would generally be less driving range than a tank of gas — and slightly longer than a typical refueling stop — company officials said it could negate two of the main factors hindering broader adoption of EVs aside from cost: range anxiety and lengthy recharging times. For example, Tesla’s current fast-charging system can charge in as little as 15 minutes, but only to between 160 miles and 200 miles of range.
The Shenxing is one of a slew of advanced EV battery systems that companies have pledged will combat range anxiety and other issues in the coming years, but CATL — which reportedly holds more than one-third of the current EV battery market — plans to begin production this year and start commercial sales at the beginning of 2024.
The company also continues its work on other battery systems, including sodium-ion versions that would be less costly than lithium-ion batteries, a battery with a range of more than 600 miles, and another that it says could one day power aircraft.
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