1,5 million kilometers on a single battery. 1.000 charging cycles without the slightest loss of performance. 15 year warranty. These are incredible numbers, yet this is exactly what the new super-battery just unveiled by CATL, a Chinese giant in the sector, promises. An accumulator that could revolutionize the world of transport starting from electric buses.
A proven partnership
The collaboration between CATL and Yutong (a Chinese company producing electric buses) dates back to 2012. Over the last 10 years the development of increasingly efficient and reliable batteries has increased exponentially. And it has produced several innovations and new materials for use on commercial vehicles and urban public transport.
Now, thanks to this new apparently "eternal" accumulator, CATL and Yutong aim to conquer new international markets. Furthermore, the electric buses from the Zhengzhou company are already present in 40 countries, including Italy (even if with a less than flattering record, I say this because here we always talk beyond the "fans". The storage solutions are good, but here Yutong hit the headlines for the tragic accidents which saw its vehicles involved). And now let's go back to the "naked" technology.
Electric buses, towards the solid electrolyte
Looking ahead, solid-state battery technology appears to be particularly suited to the needs of certain commercial vehicles, thanks to its high energy density and faster charging speed. Electric buses, in other words, seem made to accommodate such a solution: and it is no coincidence that China is pushing for large-scale collaboration. The government of the Celestial Empire wants to involve all the main players in the sector, from battery giants such as CATL e BYD up to the large national automakers and small. The target? Pretty clear: consolidate Chinese leadership in new generation batteries.
The dominion of the Dragon
The numbers speak clearly: CATL and BYD alone together represent over 50% of the entire global market for batteries for electric vehicles and buses. And the trend looks set to continue, with CATL in 2023 it even doubled sales in both Europe and the United States.
In summary: while the rest of the world catches up, China seems to have an edge in the race towards sustainable mobility. And with products like CATL's "million dollar" battery, the gap risks widening further. Of course, the 15 year warranty and the promised XNUMX million kilometers of durability will have to be verified on the road. But if even just a part of these extraordinary specifications were to be reflected in reality, it would be a real revolution for the electric vehicle sector. With all due respect to charging anxiety.
