CATLCTP battery pack
How to reduce the cost of power lithium battery systems?
Increasing the weight of battery cells and structural components, improving automation efficiency...
Another method is to remove the battery module.
At the 2019 Frankfurt International Motor Show in Germany, CATL launched its new CTP (CellToPack) high-integration power lithium battery development platform, which integrates the cells directly into the battery pack.
CATL is not the first company in China to announce CTP technology. Svolt Energy announced the technology as early as July 9th, and BYD is also developing it.
Industry insiders have raised some concerns about the safety, lifespan, after-sales service, and secondary use of CTP batteries. However, according to *Electric Vehicle Observer*, battery companies have also found solutions to these issues.
Let's take a closer look at what CTP technology actually is, why so many battery companies are choosing it, and whether it will become a new trend in the future.
1. What is the purpose of the module?
Since the goal is to eliminate the module and directly integrate it into the battery pack, we need to understand the purpose of the module.
A module is a collection of related components that form a unit; it can also be understood as a collection or assembly of parts. For example, in traditional vehicles, there's the front-end radiator module, and in the electronics industry, functional integration modules are also called modules. In the field of battery packs, integrating several cells, busbars, sampling units, and necessary structural support components into a single unit is also called a module.
ternary lithium battery module
Early power lithium battery packs used cylindrical cells; for example, TSLA used more than 7,000 cells. If these cells were directly assembled into the battery casing, the assembly complexity would increase significantly, and the production efficiency would be very low. Therefore, pre-integrating some cells became very important. This is one of the important reasons for the emergence of battery modules.
Another advantage of the module is that its modular design facilitates after-sales maintenance, allowing for the replacement of individual modules or entire modules.
Like two sides of a coin, the application of modules also necessitates the addition of some extra components, and the more modules there are, the more additional components there will be. These additional components will increase the cost and weight of the battery pack.
Similarly, TSLA initially used more than 10 modules, but now only uses 4 large-size modules in the Model 3, greatly reducing redundant components. In addition, the application of large-capacity square aluminum-cased cells, cell technology innovation, and improved production consistency have also provided opportunities for eliminating modules.
2. CTP has significant advantages in cost reduction and density improvement.
What are the effects of canceling the module?
CATL's data shows that CTP battery packs have increased volume utilization by 15%-20%, reduced the number of battery pack components by 40%, increased production efficiency by 50%, and increased battery pack energy density by 10%-15%, reaching over 200Wh/kg, significantly reducing the manufacturing cost of power lithium batteries.
Introduction to CATLCTP
According to data from Honeycomb, compared with the traditional 590 module, the first generation of CTP reduced the number of components by 24%, while the second generation improved assembly efficiency by 5-10%, space utilization by 5%, and further reduced the number of components by 22%.
Introduction to CTP by Svolt Energy
It's difficult to discern the superiority of one technology from just two sets of promotional data, but both CTP companies have indeed performed well in reducing components and increasing energy density.
Another advantage of module-less manufacturing lies in the simplification of the product manufacturing process. A representative from Svolt Energy explained to *Electric Vehicle Observer* that traditional technology involves assembling battery cells into modules using a specific frame structure. These modules then undergo off-line testing, followed by storage and transportation. If the PACK and module are not located in the same factory, additional storage, incoming inspection, and on-line inspection processes are required. All these processes necessitate investment of manpower, equipment, and space.
Adopting a module-less approach can effectively shorten production lines and reduce process waste. Cells are stacked and inspected online, and directly placed into the battery housing, significantly reducing the number of transfer steps and minimizing the traditional module frame welding process. The welding equipment alone costs several million yuan.
