The "U" type structure allows the battery to reduce structural component resistance by 50 percent, achieve an energy density of 300 Wh/kg, and support fast charging beyond 6C, CALB said.
As CATL's Qilin Battery begins mass production, CALB, another Chinese battery manufacturer, has also rolled out its battery innovation.
CALB officially unveiled its new battery with a "U" type structure at the recent China EV 100 Forum event, an innovation based on its One-Stop minimalist design concept, according to an article by the CATL rival yesterday.
The battery is based on structural and chemical innovations developed by CALB in-house, the industry's first "U" type structure, according to the article, which features a presentation by an executive.
This design allows the battery to reduce the resistance of structural components by 50 percent, achieve an energy density of 300 Wh/kg, and support fast charging of more than 6C, achieving a significant increase in performance compared to traditional cylindrical batteries, according to CALB.
As background, C refers to the battery's charge multiplier, and 6C means that the battery could theoretically be fully charged in one-sixth of an hour -- 10 minutes.
"We have made a disruptive innovation to the structure of the cylindrical battery by introducing the 'U' type structure," CALB vice president Xie Qiu said in a presentation at the China EV 100 Forum.
While the Tabless structure solves some of the current path problems, treating the cell's shell as a conductive component results in a relatively long path for the current to flow through, Xie said, adding that the shell is steel, which does not conduct well.
CALB's structural innovation reduces the current flow path by 70 percent relative to Tabless cells, reduces structural resistance by 50 percent, and improves space utilization by 3 percent, he said.
Also considering CALB's chemical material system technology, the company's large cylindrical battery can achieve 6C fast charging while the energy density of the cells can reach 300 Wh/kg, according to Xie.
In addition to the performance improvement of the cells, the "U" type structure also helps to improve manufacturing efficiency. Compared with the Tabless technology, the number of welding machines in the production line of this battery is about 70 percent less, he said.
CALB is the latest local manufacturer to announce progress in battery technology innovation.
On June 23, 2022, CATL unveiled its CTP (cell to pack) 3.0 Qilin Battery, which it says brings battery system integration to a new level.
The Qilin Battery allows volume utilization to exceed 72 percent and energy density to reach 255 Wh/kg, easily allowing vehicles to achieve a range of 1000 km, CATL said at the time.
With the same chemistry system and the same pack size, Qilin Battery delivers 13 percent more power compared to the 4680 battery, achieving an overall improvement in range, fast charging, safety, longevity, efficiency, and low-temperature performance, according to CATL.
On March 21, local media outlet The Paper reported that CATL's Qilin Battery has achieved mass production.
CATL is the world's largest battery manufacturer, with a 33.9 percent share in January-February, according to data released by South Korean market research firm SNE Research on March 30.
CALB ranked seventh in the global market with a 3.4 percent share.
Notably, CATL is suing CALB in China for infringing its patent rights.
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