CATL unveils new battery that can charge EVs in five minutes

• The Shenxing battery can charge EVs in as little as five minutes
• It has a full battery capacity of 500 miles
• CATL currently supplies a wide range of cars, including BMW, Tesla, Volkswagen and Ford

Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL), the world’s largest producer of electric vehicle (EV) batteries, has unveiled a battery which offers 320 miles of travel with just five minutes of charging, rivaling industry giant BYD’s. 

The company claimed that the upgraded Shenxing battery’s range is around 70 miles higher than BYD’s stated range of 250 miles. By comparison, Tesla’s Superchargers deliver 200 miles in a 15-minute charge. It has a full battery capacity of 500 miles.

Gao Huan, CATL’s chief technology officer, said that the battery “pushes the boundaries” of performance beyond limits, which will help meet its company goal of making the battery the standard for EVs. 

The announcement follows a month after its rival, BYD, unveiled its own agenda-setting launch. Both announcements underscores the competition taking place in China’s EV sector, which is fueling relentless innovation at low prices. 

CATL’s upgraded Shenxing has a full battery capacity of 500 miles, and was launched alongside a new sodium-ion battery (Naxtra), which Huan said was a more affordable and safer alternative to lithium and lead-acid batteries. 

CATL currently supplies a wide range of cars, including BMW, Tesla, Volkswagen and Ford, and has been the world’s largest EV battery supplier for eight years, with a 38% share of the global market. This is according to a report from SNE Research and is followed by BYD’s 17.2% share. 

In a filing made in Hong Kong in 2024, CATL stated that by the end of 2024, its batteries were used in every one of three EVs worldwide, powering approximately 17 million vehicles. 

Huan added that the new battery would power more than 67 EV models in 2025, without detailing the EV models. The battery performs well in extremely cold weather and aims to deliver an 80% charge from 5% in 15 minutes, even at temperatures as low as -10C. 

“As for the Naxtra battery, thanks to the relative abundance of sodium, it promises lower production costs,” he said. “It can deliver a range of up to 310 miles on a single charge, shorter than Shenxing’s and expected to enter mass production at the end of the year”. 

Written by

Tamara Birch Senior writer

Tamara is a London-based journalist and has written about environmental topics for more than four years. This includes advising small business owners on cost-effective ways, like solar panels and energy-efficient products, to help them become more sustainable.

She has used her journalist and research skills to become highly knowledgeable on sustainable initiatives, issues, and solutions to help consumers do their bit for the environment – all while reducing monthly costs.

In addition to adopting sustainable practices in her personal life, Tamara has worked in the retail B2B space to help independent retailers think about their environmental choices and how they can help improve their business. She now uses this knowledge to help consumers do the same.

Her passion for sustainability and eco-friendly solutions stems from a long obsession with nature and animals and ensuring they feel looked after. In her free time, Tamara enjoys reading fantasy novels, visiting the gym, and going on long walks in new areas.

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