Even so, the promotion of new energy vehicles continues to unfold globally, bringing a glimmer of hope to the struggling automotive market. Latest data shows that, driven by strong demand in my country and Europe, global electric vehicle sales doubled in 2021, reaching 4.6 million units, surpassing hybrid vehicles for the first time. Meanwhile, upstream in the supply chain, the power lithium battery industry is facing pressure but moving forward, with not only rapid increases in production but also the emergence of new technologies.
For a long time, cost reduction and market share gains through technological innovation have been the foundation of the company's success. Reporters have learned that as the new energy vehicle industry enters a new market-oriented phase, competition among power lithium battery companies is, to some extent, a battle over different technological routes. These include mass-produced products with relatively clear market prospects, innovative technologies about to enter mass production with pending application results, and cutting-edge achievements with even brighter prospects and a very attractive future. Seizing the present is crucial, but planning for the future is equally important; the multi-technology "undercover war" in the power lithium battery industry is constantly escalating.
CATL
CTP3.0 "Kirin Battery" Iteration Emerges
As a leading player in the power lithium battery industry, CATL has consistently driven the development of automotive electrification through technological innovation. On its official website, it prominently showcases its CTP, CTC, high-nickel, and high-voltage technologies.
Compared to traditional battery packs currently on the market, CATL pioneered the CTP (Cell to Pack) high-efficiency battery pack assembly technology. This technology simplifies the module structure, increasing battery pack volume utilization by 20%–30%, reducing the number of components by 40%, and improving production efficiency by 50%. Once implemented, it can significantly reduce the manufacturing cost of power lithium batteries. It is understood that the average energy density of traditional battery packs is 140–150 Wh/kg, while CTP battery packs reach over 200 Wh/kg. CATL first showcased its CTP battery pack at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show, and subsequently collaborated with BAIC New Energy to achieve its first mass-produced vehicle application.
After several years of rapid development, CATL's CTP technology has been continuously updated and upgraded. In March of this year, CATL's Chief Scientist Wu Kai stated that the company has developed the third-generation CTP technology through technological iteration, which can be applied to its lithium iron phosphate batteries and ternary lithium batteries, also known as "Kirin batteries." It is understood that CTP3.0 technology is ready for mass production and is expected to be officially launched in April of this year. Data shows that CTP3.0 consists of a platform cell module, an expandable electrical module, a flexible expandable thermal management module, and a flexible expandable enclosure module. The cell module still adopts the square battery form, which can better utilize the space of the entire battery pack.
Wu Kai stated that Kirin batteries will continue to lead the industry in system weight, energy density, and volumetric energy density. "2023 will be a crucial year for electric vehicles to break the 1000km range barrier and enter mass production; the importance of the latest CTP technology will increase significantly in the future." He explained that lithium iron phosphate batteries using CTP3.0 technology can achieve an energy density of 160Wh/kg, while ternary lithium batteries can reach 250Wh/kg. Notably, under the same conditions, products using CTP3.0 technology can have 13% more battery capacity than 4680 battery systems.
In addition, CATL has proposed CTC (Cell to Chassis) technology, which integrates battery cells with the vehicle body, chassis, electric drive, thermal management, and various high and low voltage control modules, enabling vehicles to achieve a range exceeding 1000km. Furthermore, through an intelligent power domain controller, it optimizes power distribution and reduces energy consumption, lowering the energy consumption per 100km to below 12kWh. It is reported that CATL will officially launch its highly integrated CTC battery around 2025.
BYD
"Blade Battery" overcomes obstacles
Alongside CATL, BYD has grown alongside the competition by consistently adhering to the lithium iron phosphate technology route. BYD has not only achieved self-sufficiency in power lithium batteries, but is also forging ahead with its "blade battery" to expand its external supply chain.
In March 2020, BYD officially announced its Blade Battery. The Blade Battery uses large cells developed by BYD, exceeding 0.6m in length. While the individual cells have evolved towards larger capacity, their shape is flatter and narrower (the long side can be customized, with a maximum stable length of 2100mm). These cells are arranged in an array, resembling "blades" inserted into the battery pack. Through a series of structural innovations, the Blade Battery achieves superior strength while significantly improving safety, increasing volume utilization by over 50%, and reducing costs by 30%. In June 2020, the first new car equipped with the Blade Battery, the BYD "Han," was launched, boasting a range of 605km. Rumors have circulated that the Blade Battery will be used by other automakers, including TSLA, Hyundai, NIO, and Xiaomi. Entering 2022, BYD's expansion of power lithium battery production continued rapidly. In January, the BYD Industrial Park project officially landed in Xiangyang, Hubei, and will construct a 30GWh power lithium battery and component project. In February, the groundbreaking ceremony for FAW-Volkswagen New Energy Technology Co., Ltd.'s power lithium battery project was held in Changchun. It is reported that once the plant reaches full production capacity, it will achieve an annual output of 45GWh of power lithium batteries, supplying blade batteries for over 1 million vehicles. In March, BYD's Wuhan Huangpi base began construction; the second phase of its power lithium battery base project in Yancheng was signed via a "cloud signing" ceremony. In April, BYD signed an investment cooperation agreement with the Guiyang Municipal People's Government; and signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Xianju County, Taizhou, Zhejiang Province via a "cloud signing" ceremony, establishing a 22GWh annual blade battery project in the area.
At the my country EV100 Forum (2022), Wang Chuanfu, Chairman and President of BYD, stated that BYD will continue to adhere to its "two-pronged approach" strategy of developing both plug-in hybrid and pure electric vehicles, and will continue to prioritize lithium iron phosphate batteries as the correct development path. He stated, "Safety is the cornerstone of the development of new energy vehicles, while cost is a crucial indicator that must be addressed. Once the performance of power lithium batteries surpasses a certain threshold, the importance of energy density decreases, while the importance of indicators such as safety, cost, and cycle life increases. BYD's Blade Battery not only solves the safety pain point but also achieves a pack energy density comparable to ternary lithium batteries, with stronger cycle life and safety coefficient." He also pointed out that lithium iron phosphate batteries do not contain rare metals such as cobalt and nickel, thus preventing being "held hostage" by foreign capital and better matching the affordability of social resources.
Honeycomb Energy
"Short Knife Battery" Conquers the World
At the 2019 Shanghai Auto Show, SVOLT showcased its 600mm-long short-blade battery. At the end of 2021, SVOLT announced its "Leading SVOLT 600" strategy, proposing to increase its production target to 600GWh by 2025 and accelerate the commercialization of the new short-blade battery category.
"The market doesn't lack the production capacity of power lithium batteries; what it lacks is the production capacity of high-quality automotive-grade power lithium batteries. SVOLT Energy will promote the short-blade battery technology across the entire electric vehicle market." Yang Hongxin, Chairman and CEO of SVOLT Energy, said that the company has deployed a full range of short-blade batteries from L300 to L600, covering a full range of charging from 1.6 to 4C, suitable for all application scenarios such as passenger cars, energy storage, commercial vehicles, construction machinery, and non-high-speed electric vehicles, involving a full range of chemical systems from cobalt-free and ternary to lithium iron phosphate.
According to Yang Hongxin, the trend towards thinner and longer battery cell structures is an industry consensus in the evolution of power lithium batteries, and it has been one of the key areas that SVOLT Energy has focused on since its inception. Regarding the reason for choosing a fully short-blade battery design, he believes that short-blade batteries are a scientific choice based on first principles, possessing high compatibility and adaptability to different scenarios and platforms. For application companies, short-blade batteries can meet the demands for high assembly rates, low costs, and high safety. For battery companies themselves, they have significant advantages in yield control and large-scale industrial production. Furthermore, a fully short-blade design avoids the investment risks of large-scale factory construction. It is understood that in terms of vehicle integration, in the 345th batch of announcements released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in 2021, a Great Wall ORA model was equipped with SVOLT Energy's L600 short-blade lithium iron phosphate cells. In terms of manufacturing, in October 2021, SVOLT Energy's first short-blade production line officially went into operation at its Phase II plant in Jintan, Changzhou, with a full-capacity output of 2.5 GWh.
Liu Xiaoan, Director and Senior Process Director of Svolt Energy, told reporters that the slurry homogenization, coating, rolling, die-cutting, stacking, and assembly processes at the Changzhou Jintan plant are crucial steps in the production of short blade batteries. The company has made a series of unique innovations around these six major processes. For example, regarding the production of batteries using the stacking process, stacking speed has always been a pain point in the industry. Svolt Energy currently uses dual-station stacking with an efficiency of up to 0.4s/piece; the next-generation ultra-high-speed blade-type cell electrode assembly equipment, which has been developed, can achieve a stacking efficiency of 0.125s/piece.
It is understood that SVOLT Energy has planned 11 production bases globally. The Changzhou Jintan plant is its first AI super factory for automotive-grade power lithium batteries, constructed in four phases with a total planned output of 68 GWh. Currently, Phase I and Phase II are already in operation. Phase II has built its first mass production line for "short-blade" batteries, with a full-capacity output of 2.5 GWh. Building upon this, SVOLT Energy will develop a short-blade battery super factory, ultimately achieving an output of 20 GWh.
EVE Energy
"Bet" on large cylindrical batteries
At the my country EV100 Forum (2022), Liu Jincheng, Chairman of EVE Energy, stated in an interview that from a chemical system or structural perspective, different technical routes for power lithium batteries each have their advantages. However, long-term development depends on their adaptability to the market and their ability to fundamentally meet industry needs. He believes that cylindrical and stacked lithium iron phosphate batteries will be important development directions for the industry. Cylindrical ternary lithium batteries have an absolute advantage in safety and will be the mainstream technology for mid-to-high-end vehicles; stacked lithium iron phosphate batteries are economical and will be the mainstream technology for mass-market vehicles.
Liu Jincheng also used "four extremes" to describe the advantages of the large cylindrical battery: First, extreme standard, which can achieve standardization in design, manufacturing and recycling; second, extreme reliability, with a stable structure, zero stress throughout the entire life cycle and no deformation at all dimensions; third, extreme manufacturing, with the process shortened by 30% and higher production efficiency; and fourth, extreme system, with EVE Energy's large cylindrical battery achieving a 90% nickel content and a carbon-silicon chemical system.
Driven by cost reduction considerations, domestic emerging electric vehicle manufacturers have shown interest in large cylindrical batteries. They are also observing the effects of TSLA's actual use of large cylindrical batteries in its vehicles. Against this market backdrop, EVE Energy is preparing to take a bold step, announcing its production capacity construction methods for both large cylindrical and prismatic power lithium batteries. It is understood that EVE Energy's new production projects will be gradually completed by the end of 2022, with production commencing in the first half of 2023, reaching a total output of approximately 200 GWh by 2023.
BAK Battery
The "Counterattack" of 46-series and 26-series large cylindrical batteries
As early as 2015, BAK Battery took the lead in mass-producing 18650 cells with high-nickel ternary 811 and silicon-containing anodes. It is understood that the cylindrical cells currently mass-produced by BAK Battery generally use ternary lithium cathodes with a nickel content of 88% or more, and anodes with a silicon composite content of up to 15%. The large cylindrical batteries under development will adopt a more advanced system.
At the my country EV100 Forum (2022), Fan Wenguang, Vice President of Shenzhen BAK Power Lithium Battery Co., Ltd., delivered a keynote speech entitled "The Future of Large Cylindrical Power Lithium Batteries is Promising." BAK Battery believes that the "large" in large cylindrical batteries lies not only in their size, but also in the scale of their development, their promising prospects, and the significant challenges they present. As the optimal solution for mid-to-high-end electric vehicles in the next 5-10 years and a breakthrough point for electric vehicle penetration, cylindrical cells are currently the safest type of mainstream battery: First, their individual cells are the smallest, which can disperse risks; second, each cell is protected by a steel or aluminum shell and has an independent pressure relief device; third, the honeycomb arrangement naturally leaves gaps between cells, and there is also a large heat exchange area between the individual cells and the outside, ensuring the absolute safety of the battery pack. It is said that many new energy vehicle companies have already finalized their power lithium battery strategies for the next 5-10 years, with mass-market models using square or blade-shaped lithium iron phosphate batteries, and mid-to-high-end models using a layout of ternary lithium batteries + large cylindrical batteries.
Fan Wenguang explained that BAK Battery currently offers two series of all-tab cylindrical batteries: the 46 series and the 26 series. Specifically, samples of the 46 series cells began being delivered in batches last year, and their performance met expectations. The 26 series primarily uses the 26105 aluminum-cased cell. The B-sample stage product has an energy density of 270Wh/kg and a power density greater than 2000W/kg, enabling vehicles to achieve a range of over 700 kilometers. A 12-minute charge provides over 500km of range, a 5-minute fast charge provides over 280km, and the pure fast-charge cycle life exceeds 800 cycles. According to the plan, this cell will enter mass production in 2024, at which time the energy density will reach 285Wh/kg.
"Based on our understanding of customer needs and industry information, we predict that large cylindrical battery cells will account for at least 30% of the global power lithium battery market by 2025, exceeding the total global demand for power lithium batteries in 2021," said Fan Wenguang. It is understood that in the coming years, BAK Battery will expand its battery production capacity by 80GWh in both domestic and international markets in two phases, and will continue to exert its efforts in this area.
Weilan New Energy
Hybrid solid-liquid batteries are about to enter mass production.
At the my country EV100 Forum (2022), Li Hong, chief scientist and founder of Weilan New Energy, revealed that the company is collaborating with NIO to launch a hybrid solid-liquid electrolyte battery based on the ET7 model, with a range of 1000km on a single charge. The battery pack has a capacity of 150kWh and a single-cell energy density of 360Wh/kg. Mass production of this hybrid solid-liquid battery is expected to begin by the end of this year or the first half of next year.
According to reports, Weilan New Energy has developed a series of products, including a 150Wh/kg hybrid solid-liquid energy storage battery for large-scale energy storage, a 270Wh/kg high-energy-density hybrid solid-liquid battery for drones, and a 300Wh/kg hybrid solid-liquid power lithium battery. Building on this, the company has further developed a 360Wh/kg hybrid solid-liquid power lithium battery, which can pass safety tests such as nail penetration, overcharge, and compression, meeting the requirements for electric vehicles.
Weilan New Energy believes that future power lithium batteries will develop towards higher specific energy, while battery cells will evolve from liquid to safer hybrid solid-liquid and all-solid-state technologies. Future development paths for power lithium batteries and energy storage batteries include: cells based on high-nickel and lithium-rich manganese-based cathodes, as well as nano-silicon-carbon anodes and lithium-carbon composite anodes, capable of meeting the requirements of electric passenger vehicles and electric aircraft with a range of 1000km; solutions for pure electric vehicles with a range of 600km based on modified lithium manganese oxide, lithium iron phosphate, and nickel-manganese spinel cathode materials matched with high-capacity anode materials; and solutions for lower-cost energy storage applications using sodium-ion batteries and solid-state lithium iron phosphate batteries.
It should be pointed out that in order to achieve mass production of solid-state batteries, relevant companies need to further develop the industrial chain, optimize and develop new cathode materials, anode materials, electrolyte materials, pre-lithiation materials, super binders, conductive additives, and a new generation of metal deposition current collectors, while developing new front-end, mid-end and back-end processes to achieve intelligent manufacturing.
Currently, the largest shareholder of Weilan New Energy is Hefei Blue Mileage Venture Capital Partnership, holding 19.2% of the shares. Blue Mileage's investors include Li Bin, founder of NIO. Other investors in Weilan New Energy include Xiaomi, Geely, and Huawei.
SES
Hybrid lithium metal batteries: the battle for tomorrow
The field of power lithium batteries may still be one disruptive innovation in electrochemical systems away from achieving true "transcendence." SES Battery, founded in 2012, aims to realize this vision.
According to Hu Qichao, founder and CEO of SES, their lithium metal battery technology comprises three parts: Hermes, a new materials R&D platform; Apollo, the engineering and manufacturing capabilities for automotive lithium metal batteries; and Avatar, artificial intelligence-based safety monitoring software. In 2021, SES showcased its first automotive-grade lithium metal battery. Preliminary test data indicates a capacity of 107 Ah, energy densities of 417 Wh/kg and 935 Wh/L, and a weight of less than 1 kg. This is reportedly the world's first lithium metal battery with a capacity exceeding 100 Ah, and also the world's largest lithium metal battery.
In 2015, SES made a significant shift in its technology roadmap, moving from an all-solid-state lithium metal battery approach to its current hybrid lithium metal battery approach. Since then, SES's commercialization process has been accelerating. Currently, SES is collaborating with GM, Hyundai, and Honda on the joint development of the A-sample, which is the world's first lithium metal automotive A-sample. According to the current plan, the B-sample will be developed next year, the C-sample the year after, and mass production will begin in 2025.
SES claims that its hybrid lithium metal battery has three major advantages: First, the innovative lithium metal anode material allows the battery energy density to reach 400-500Wh/kg; second, the electrolyte aims to fundamentally change the growth method of lithium dendrites and improve battery safety; and third, the algorithm uses artificial intelligence to monitor the health status of the cell throughout the entire production and operation process, and builds models through a large amount of detailed data to accurately predict risks.
As a key component of SES's global strategic layout, SES established a production and R&D center in Jiading, Shanghai in 2018. This center is now being upgraded into the world's first 1GWh lithium metal battery superfactory. In March of this year, SES officially launched the production and testing of its first A-sample lithium metal battery in Shanghai. Currently, SES is continuously expanding its R&D team at its Boston headquarters and building a second production base in South Korea to meet the needs of more automakers. In China, SES's investors include SAIC, Geely, Foxconn, and Tianqi Lithium.
