WHAT has been touted as the biggest breakthrough in EV battery technology in recent times has been revealed at a trade event in China, with battery maker CATL announcing three technologies, including a 1500km-plus range battery and a second battery that uses sodium as a base, replacing expensive lithium.

CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited) is a major player in the global electric vehicles market. It supplies EV batteries to BMW, Daimler AG, Hyundai, Honda, Li Auto, NIO, PSA, Tesla, Toyota, Volkswagen, Volvo, GM and XPeng. It is said to have achieved a 38 per cent share of the EV battery market in 2024.The three innovations are claimed to represent a significant leap forward for EV technology, with ranges now approaching and exceeding 1500km, ultra-fast charging capabilities, and cold-weather resilience that could put EVs with the new-tech batteries ahead of hybrid alternatives.

CATL said the three technologies – sodium-ion battery, dual-power battery and Shenxing fast-charge battery – shown at its Tech Day on April 21 could potentially reshape the competitive landscape between pure electric and hybrid vehicles.

Most importantly, CATL’s innovative ‘Freevoy Dual Power Battery’ has a dual-core architecture that delivers a range of more than 1500km on a single charge which CATL said positions pure EVs to compete directly with hybrid models.

The dual-core design divides a single battery into two independent energy zones – a main energy area and a range extension area. Each uses different cell materials for specific advantages.

It allows a battery with high-voltage and low-voltage and for safety, thermal runaway protection.

CATL said the battery also had a significantly higher energy capacity than lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) batteries which allowed the vehicle to have a longer range.

A CATL spokesperson said: “This technology represents a fundamental shift in how we approach electric vehicle range limitations.”

“By combining two distinct battery technologies in one package, we’re able to optimise both high-power performance and extended range capabilities.”

This is CATL’s second-generation of sodium-ion batteries. It was the first major automotive battery maker to launch a sodium-ion battery in 2021. 

Unlike other battery materials, sodium is cheap and abundant, and the chemistry has the potential to reduce fire risks in EVs, according to a report by Reuters.

The first production of the CATL sodium-ion battery will be under the subsidiary Naxtra brand and will be a sodium-ion battery with an energy density of 175 watt-hours per kilogram, nearly equivalent to the lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries popularly used in EVs and grid energy storage systems.Sodium-ion batteries may have a cost advantage over lithium-ion batteries as the technology and supply chain develop, CATL R&D co-president Mr Ouyang Chuying told Reuters.

CATL’s billionaire founder Robin Zeng has said he sees sodium-ion batteries potentially replacing up to half the market for LFP batteries that CATL now dominates.

Besides Naxtra, CATL also launched the second generation of its Shenxing fast-charging battery, which it said can enable a 520km driving range with a five-minute charge.

“In practical terms, this translates to gaining 2.5km of range per second of charging, allowing drivers to add over 520km of range in just five minutes when connected to compatible megawatt-level charging stations,” the CATL spokesperson said.

The battery maintains high charging speeds even in extreme conditions, with claims that in ambient -10°C, it can still charge from 5 per cent to 80 per cent in only 15 minutes. 

The company said that this represented “a significant advancement over the first-generation Shenxing battery introduced in 2023, which was the world’s first lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery capable of 4C superfast charging, providing 400km of range with 10 minutes of charging.”

CATL’s Chief Technology Officer, Gao Huan

More than 67 new electric vehicle models will be powered by the Shenxing battery this year, said CATL’s Chief Technology Officer Gao Huan at the event in Shanghai, without specifying how many would be equipped with the first or second generation version.

More than 18.32 million cars equipped with CATL batteries are running in more than 66 countries globally, according to Mr Gao.

CATL’s new sodium-ion power battery is the third technology shown and is already scheduled for mass production in December 2025.

It is compatible with both hybrid and pure electric vehicles and claimed to have the industry’s highest energy density at 175Wh/kg. It said this allows hybrid electric vehicles to achieve pure electric ranges of more than 200km and pure EVs to reach beyond 500km.

The battery supports 5C superfast charging and boasts a cycle life of 10,000 charges.More significantly, the sodium-ion technology offers safety performance that far exceeds traditional lithium batteries. 

CATL used the event to demonstrate this through rigorous testing, including multi-sided compression, needle penetration, electric drill penetration, and battery sawing – all without fire or explosion.

The technology also addresses one of the most significant pain points for EV owners: cold-weather performance. 

While lithium batteries often suffer dramatic range reductions and power limitations in winter conditions, CATL claims its sodium-ion batteries have exceptional performance in extreme cold.

Its tests show that at -30°C, the battery can charge from 30 per cent to 80 per cent in only 30 minutes while maintaining 93 per cent of its usable capacity. 

In addition, even with just 10 per cent state of charge, CATL said vehicles can maintain highway speeds of 120km/h.