New CATL batteries promise 620,000-mile life and faster charging

Battery specialist CATL has revealed a new battery for Europe that it says will charge in 10 minutes and last for up to 620,000 miles.

The battery giant, which supplies units to a variety of leading mainstream car makers, has developed two variants of the new LFP pack, one focused on range and durability and the other focused on ultra-rapid charging.

In both cases, CATL says the pack also brings major safety improvements to address fears around EV battery fires.

It says the Shenxing Pro pack has been designed, engineered and built in Europe to meet the region’s acceleration EV shift and the demand for safe, reliable, durable batteries that charge quickly and offer ever-greater range.

In its long-life, long-range format, the new 122kWh battery offers up to 471 miles of range on a single charge. It also has a claimed usable lifespan of one million kilometres (621,000 miles), at which point it will still offer 70% of its original capacity. Most modern EVs are currently guaranteed for 100,000 miles.

CATL also says that in this format the battery displays degradation of just 9% over the first 200,000km (124,000 miles). At an average UK annual mileage, that means less than 0.5% capacity loss per year.

In the “super-fast charging” version of the battery, the pack can add 297 miles of range in just 10 minutes, equivalent to half a mile a second. This is achieved by 830kW DC charging capability – twice as powerful as any commercially available EV in Europe. Even in freezing conditions speed is impressive, adding 254 miles in 20 minutes even at -20C. CATL says that this fast-charging version will come with a 10-year, 150,000-mile warranty.

Both versions of the Shenxing Pro battery feature the latest incarnation of CATL’s NP 3.0 technology which brings chemical, structural and software upgrades that not only improve range, durability and speed, but also bring better cooling and safety improvements.

CATL says that even after the dreaded thermal runaway that can occur in damaged batteries, there is no smoke or fire risk.

“Shenxing Pro seamlessly fuses world-class safety standards with mobility needs, delivering a safer, more efficient, and carefree experience for every journey,” said Dr. Zhu Lingbo, CTO of CATL’s International Business Unit. “With uncompromised range, charging, and durability, Shenxing Pro is the ultimate solution for electric mobility in Europe.”