This forum, themed "Shaping the Future of the Industry in an Era of Change," brought together guests from the Chinese and international automotive industries to conduct in-depth discussions on the current opportunities and challenges facing the automotive sector. As a strategic media partner of the Global Automotive Forum, Sohu Auto provided on-site, professional coverage in Chongqing, presenting a feast of intellectual exchange. The following is a transcript of the speech by Peng Gangrou, Vice President of the Power Storage Research Institute of Guangdong Tianjin New Energy Technology Co., Ltd.:
Hello everyone, Guangdong Tianjin New Energy Co., Ltd. is a national high-tech company focusing on ternary soft-pack power lithium batteries.
Ternary lithium-ion pouch batteries boast good cycle life, excellent rate capability, and other superior customization possibilities, making them widely considered a suitable technology option for high-energy-density new energy vehicles. Currently, based on national technology roadmaps, many newly reported steel-powered lithium-ion battery packs are indeed based on this pouch form factor.
Starting this year, Tianjin Co., Ltd., in collaboration with seven other organizations including Tsinghua University Graduate School and Shenzhen Superthink Electronics Co., Ltd., has undertaken a research project related to 200Wh/kg. With this strong team, research and development on NCA cathode and anode materials, as well as on ternary lithium-ion batteries, high-safety polymers, and nano-functional composite films, are underway. Key technological breakthroughs have been discovered for achieving 300Wh/kg, or even higher levels.
At the same time, we must not forget that a high-precision, high-reliability power lithium battery management system, including the overall battery technology, is crucial for the project's ultimate success. On the one hand, we thank our colleagues in Shenzhen for their collaborative efforts; on the other hand, the fact that this project received expert attention and funding reflects, to some extent, the R&D trend of pouch power lithium batteries from now until 2020: Firstly, pouch power lithium batteries based on NCA and silicon-carbon electrode materials are the mainstream option for achieving the series of national technological plans.
Furthermore, a focus on systems engineering is a characteristic of R&D. Without breakthroughs in key materials, we cannot develop high-energy-density batteries. Without corresponding control logic and control systems, it would be difficult to create a 200Wh/kg power lithium battery system. Following NCA and silicon-carbon, I think the next major breakthroughs in pouch lithium battery R&D will likely be concentrated in all-solid-state technologies. This is also based on the good compatibility of pouch lithium batteries with all-solid-state technologies.
The pouch cell technology is the most suitable approach for lithium-ion batteries. All-solid-state lithium-ion batteries completely eliminate the corrosion risks associated with electrolytes and leaks, making them a crucial option for achieving energy densities of 350, 400, or even higher after 2020.
The preceding section briefly outlined the prospects for improving the energy density of pouch-type lithium-ion batteries. It is foreseeable that in the future, within largely similar operating systems of new energy vehicles, we will deploy more energy, enabling these vehicles to penetrate different consumer groups. How high-energy-density battery systems can meet increasingly demanding operating environments and adapt to the diverse needs of different user groups is, I believe, a key issue that management should focus on from now on.
From the initial stage, we focus on a balanced design for electrical performance. This includes how to describe the heating mechanism of power lithium batteries (including thermal performance) in a balanced manner, how to design the battery system's heat flow and thermal array, and how to optimize the thermal management kit. These are crucial aspects of our thermal management work and essential for ensuring the stable and efficient operation of power lithium battery systems under suitable environmental conditions. After all, developing a high-energy-density battery system involves two inseparable aspects: performance and safety.
