140kWh 1,000km CATL’s Qilin battery enters mass production

CATL unveiled its 3.0 CTP (cell-to-pack) Qilin battery back in 2022 and on paper, its specs look impressive. The battery production reportedly achieved the level required for reliable distribution, which means the first cars with the 1,000 km battery are about to hit the market.

The biggest improvement introduced by the Qilin battery is the CATL’s blade cells are stacked vertically on a common plate, but each cell is separated by another thin plate. That plate, in turn, is filled with the coolant which allows for unprecedented thermal control. That means 0 t0 80% DC charging in 10 minutes - according to CATL.

CATL didn’t settle just for the cooling improvement, the company increased volume efficiency by a whopping 72% which translates to a much higher energy density of 255Wh/kg. This improved density together with the new cooling system, can apparently deliver 1,000 km of range and replenish the battery in 10 minutes when empty.

Qilin battery will be available in two chemistries - industry-standard ternary composition and the headliner 255Wh/kg energy density, and the cheaper option - the LFP composition with 160Wh/kg.

Those are big statements, and the company stands by them. Judging by the public response from China, they are onto something. The first vehicle to introduce the Qilin battery is the Zeekr 009 MPV, with most of the buyers choosing the Qilin battery option, despite the extra waiting time required.

The Qilin mass production has been delayed by a couple of months due to some technical issues, and those delays meant Zeekr 009 MPV was delayed as well. According to the latest local reports from China, CATL put all the problems to rest, and the battery is being manufactured at full speed.

While the Zeekr 009 MPV will be the world’s first car with the Qilin battery, it is its smaller sibling, the Zeekr 001, to offer the extra-long range unit capable of 1,000 km. The 009 will have a 140 kWh Qilin battery, which will deliver a rather respectable 822 km range.

Qilin battery achieves its energy density without resorting to new chemistry, it is impressive and it shows the current technology still has a lot to improve. CATL’s new battery offers a 13% improvement in energy density over Tesla’s 4680 cells without resorting to an experimental production process or new materials.

Via