Regain 520km of range in 5 minutes! CATL unveils EV Battery offering 1500km range

CATL, the world-leading lithium battery manufacturer and supplier to a host of top automakers including Tesla, Mercedes-Benz and Polestar, unveiled its latest milestone in electric vehicle (EV) technology. At its annual Tech Day event in Shanghai, the Chinese battery company revealed its second-generation Shenxing battery — a completely new battery with fast charging rates, as well as groundbreaking driving range.

The Shenxing batteries' new technology offers the capability of providing 520km of range with five minutes of charging. That amounts to an astonishing 2.6 km of driving range added every second — more than double current industry standards. To put this into perspective, competitor BYD's new 1-megawatt system can add 400km in ten minutes, making CATL's system twice as quick.

With recharging times comparable — and, in certain instances, beating — the time necessary to fuel a petrol or diesel car, the age-old limitation of "range anxiety" for electric car owners can quickly become a relic of the past.

One of the highlights of CATL's latest battery technology is its durability in cold temperatures. The manufacturer states that the battery can be charged from 5 to 80 per cent in just 15 minutes, even at -10 °C. This is a significant advantage to EV performance in places with cold winters, where freezing temperatures typically reduce charging speeds and lower the range.

Additional tech advancements in EV battery

CATL is also building a dual-battery system, which should go on sale sometime between 2027 and 2028. With a 1500km range on one charge, it pairs two kinds of batteries together. While less rapidly charged than the primary Shenxing battery, it still allows for a 30–80 per cent recharge in 30 minutes. Its auxiliary battery, which is not graphite-dependent, will assist with reducing costs and be located differently within the vehicle’s structure.

In addition, bolstering its innovation portfolio, CATL confirmed that it will begin producing sodium-ion batteries branded under 'Naxtra' for FAW trucks from December 2025. The batteries are more durable at extreme temperatures and maintain up to 90 per cent of their capacity. With greater safety and reduced prices, they could ultimately replace traditional lead-acid or lithium batteries in combustion as well as hybrid vehicles.

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