SAIC-GM and CATL unveil 2024’s fastest-charging EV Battery

General Motors joint venture SAIC-GM has partnered with CATL to release the fastest-charging electric vehicle (EV) battery of 2024. The new battery technology will be revolutionary with a focus on the fastest charging and a promise to eliminate the range anxiety issue to make EV more accessible for daily use.

6C revolutionary charging technology

Developed in-house, the battery is built on LFP (lithium iron phosphate) chemistry delivering an impressive 6C charging rate. That equates to a charge time of just 10 minutes, or over 200 kilometres (124 miles) of range in just five minutes. It means that EVs using these cells will be able to charge very quickly, so the move is certainly of interest to potential EV buyers worried about long waits at charging stations.

(Image: CATL cell – catl.com)

Support for GM’s ultium platform

The 6C battery has been engineered to work within General Motors’ Ultium platform, which is the basis for any of GM’s upcoming EVs. This makes use of a quasi 900V high-voltage architecture, combining performance with efficiency. This configuration also provides the battery with greater electrochemical stability, allowing it to support superfast charging without impacting service life or safety.

Key technological innovations

A number of innovations under the hood are responsible for how well this battery performs:

Improved Electrolyte Composition: A newly developed formulation enables better ionic conductivity by lowering viscosity, the results are faster charging times.

Extreme Thermal Management: ensures stability in overheated components during fast recharges.

Cell to Pack (CTP) Design: This design approach enhances energy density, giving the capability to store more power in a tighter overall package size.

(Image: Ultium cells – news.gm.com)

Differentiation in a Competitive landscape

The 6C battery puts SAIC-GM and CATL ahead of rivals. Today, the faster batteries available today — such as those on Li Auto’s Liga MPV—provide 5C charging features and can provide a range of up to 500 km with only a 12-minute charge. On the other side, Zeekr’s second-generation golden battery scales the curtains for a paved role model with its 2025 Zer 007 sedan, which claims to be the world’s fastest-charging production car.

Future prospects

CATL 6C power cell will also be available in the market in late 2024, gaining more advantages for this global leading battery/motor company. A similar approach is used by other manufacturers, e.g. BYD will also make public a new generation of batteries designed to increase the efficiency of charging.

Overall, the SAIC-GM and CATL 6C battery stands as a major breakthrough in the electric vehicle sector offering faster charge time and greater driver convenience, that ultimately has potential to change EV consumer adoption.

Source, Header and pictures : News.GM.com

Re-written by : Umar Javed

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