The Paper, a local publication in China, reported today that the Chinese power battery giant CATL’s Qilin Battery had accomplished mass production and boasted a capacity that is 13 percent higher than that of 4680 batteries manufactured in the same volume.
According to the report, deliveries of Zeekr’s Zeekr 009 MPV, the world’s first vehicle driven by the Qilin Battery, are anticipated to start in the second quarter, 1-2 months behind the mass production of the battery.
Zeekr customers prefer cars with Qilin Battery
A Zeekr source said expressed their “surpise” that many customers who purchased the Zeekr 009 chose the version with the Qilin Battery.
On June 23, 2022, CATL made the highly anticipated public debut of its CTP (cell to pack) 3.0 Qilin Battery. The company claimed that this battery brought a new level of battery system integration to the market.
According to what CATL stated then, the Qilin Battery makes it possible to achieve an energy density of 255 Wh/kg and a volume utilization rate of greater than 72 percent. It makes it possible for vehicles to easily achieve a range of 1000 kilometers.
CATL further claims that Qilin Battery improves range, fast charging, safety, life, efficiency, and low-temperature performance while maintaining the same pack size and chemistry system as 4680 batteries. As a result of this, Qilin Battery can deliver 13 percent more power than 4680 batteries.
Zeekr and CATL announced on August 27 that the Zeekr 009 MPV would be the first vehicle in the world to carry the Qilin Battery, as reported by CNEVPOST.
They also announced that the Zeekr 001 would utilize the ultra-long range version of the Qilin Battery and that it would be the first production vehicle in the world to carry the Qilin Battery with a range of 1000 kilometers.
Zeekr 009 with Qilin Battery to launch in 2023
Zeekr stated in a post published on its WeChat account that the company anticipates beginning deliveries of the Zeekr 009 with the Qilin Battery in the first period of 2023, while the Zeekr 001 with a battery will be offered in the second quarter of 2023.
“With its 140-kWh battery pack, the Zeekr 009 ME version sets a global record for a mid to large size MPV achieving an all-electric range of 822 kilometers.”
Liu Changyan, executive president of CATL’s China passenger vehicle business
Furthermore, Zeekr, and many other automobile manufacturers, such as Li Auto, Neta, Lotus, and AITO, have previously announced that they intend to use CATL’s Qilin Battery in their vehicles.
CATL’s Qilin Battery
It is important to note that the Qilin Battery is an innovation in pack framework brought about by CATL rather than an advancement in battery chemistry.
It indicates that ternary and lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries can utilize this pack structure to their full potential.
CATL has stated that the Qilin Battery can achieve energy densities of 255 Wh/kg with its ternary cells and 160 Wh/kg with its LFP cells.
According to information shared by the battery manufacturer on Weibo on December 30 of the previous year, Time magazine in the United States deemed the innovation that CATL developed to be the best invention of 2022.
See Also:
- EV battery market leader CATL reported shares decline in January, BYD increases
- LG Energy Solution bets on US expansion to beat Chinese competitor CATL
- Ford announces plans to license CATL’s electric vehicle battery technology
- EV battery market grew 71.8% in 2022, CATL remained unbeatable
- Bolivia partners with Chinese battery giant CATL to develop its lithium reserves
