Credit: CATL
- The battery can be charged to 80% SOC in 6 minutes and 48 seconds, roughly matching the refueling time of gasoline vehicles.
- CATL launched swap stations compatible with both passenger and commercial vehicles, with plans to roll out 4,000 this year.
CATL (HKEX: 3750) has unveiled an ultra-fast charging battery for light commercial vehicles, calling it the only product in the logistics industry with peak 8C superfast charging capability, pushing the sector into an era of “parity between electric and fuel.”
The Chinese power battery giant on Monday released the Tectrans II light commercial superfast charging edition commercial power battery, targeting mainly logistics scenarios.
The C refers to the battery’s charging rate, with 8C theoretically meaning the battery can be fully charged within one-eighth of an hour.
The battery can be charged to 80% SOC (state of charge) in 6 minutes and 48 seconds, and fully charged in 8 minutes and 56 seconds, roughly matching the refueling time of gasoline vehicles, CATL said.
Slow charging, short battery life, winter performance degradation, and mismatched charging pile power are the main challenges facing users of electric light commercial logistics vehicles, according to CATL.
The new battery supports superfast charging, and also offers an ultra-long warranty of up to 10 years and 1 million kilometers, achieving “battery lifespan matching vehicle lifespan,” and helping to boost the residual value of used vehicles, CATL said.
The battery cell’s internal resistance is only 50% of the industry average, which can greatly reduce heat generation during fast charging, according to the company.
CATL has also carried out atomic-level interface reshaping of the graphite particles to reduce active lithium loss and slow battery degradation.
In terms of low-temperature performance, the battery cell takes only an additional 2 minutes and 30 seconds to charge in an environment of minus 20°C, which can significantly shorten refueling time in cold regions, the company said.
In addition to the battery, CATL has also launched the Choco swap station compatible with both passenger and commercial vehicles, to meet the ultra-fast refueling needs of diverse logistics scenarios such as urban distribution logistics, intercity transport, cold chain, and last-mile delivery.
The stations will be equipped with customized superfast charging piles, whose upgraded power can accommodate the battery needs of light commercial vehicles.
CATL plans to build 4,000 of these facilities this year, covering nearly 190 cities in China, to substantially reduce the time drivers spend searching for stations and refueling.
With the large-scale roll-out of the Tectrans II light commercial superfast charging edition, electric light commercial vehicles will truly achieve an “all-domain universal” ultra-fast refueling experience, the company said.
Tectrans (or Tianxing) is a commercial vehicle battery brand released by CATL on July 4, 2024, when the company launched two Tectrans L series batteries for the logistics industry, including a version supporting 4C superfast charging and a long-range version.
In November 2024, CATL further expanded the brand into the heavy commercial vehicle sector, launching superfast charging, long-life, long-range, and durable editions dedicated to construction machinery.
In January this year, the company released the Tectrans II series, whose low-temperature edition was the industry’s first mass-produced sodium-ion battery for light commercial vehicles, retaining 90% of available capacity at minus 40°C.
The series at the time also included a superfast charging edition that can charge from 20% to 80% in 30 minutes in an environment of minus 15°C, as well as multiple battery packs supporting battery swap.
CATL will supply battery swap batteries and operational services for more than 5,000 J&T Express heavy-duty trucks.
