Chinese company claims CATL battery could last more than 1 million miles on the road

CATL announced its 5C ultra-fast-charging battery retains 80% capacity after 1,400 cycles at 60°C and 3,000 cycles at milder lab temperatures, figures the company says would translate to roughly 840,000 km and 1.8 million km using a 600 km-per-charge assumption.

CATL, a Chinese battery maker, announced a new 5C ultra-fast-charging battery and published test figures in a company video. The company reported the battery holds 80% of its capacity after 1,400 cycles at 60°C and after 3,000 cycles at milder lab temperatures. CATL presented calculations that convert those cycle counts into total driving range using a presumed 600 km per charge. The company highlighted material, manufacturing and battery management changes as reasons for the extended life claims. Key details: - The announcement was presented in a video on CATL’s YouTube channel. - CATL reported the 5C battery retained 80% capacity after 1,400 cycles at 60°C (140°F), which the company equated to about 840,000 km (521,952 miles) using a 600 km-per-charge assumption. - Under milder laboratory temperatures described as “20-something degrees Celsius,” CATL reported 3,000 cycles before reaching 80% capacity, which it equated to about 1.8 million km (1,118,468 miles) with the same range assumption. - CATL said the C5 design addresses ultra-fast-charging damage through improved materials and manufacturing that limit cathode oxidation, maintain active lithium levels, and repair micro-cracks in the SEI layer. - The company described a C5 battery management system that it says directs coolant to hotter individual cells and reduces output from underperforming cells to keep the pack balanced. Summary: If independent real-world data confirm the test results, vehicles using the CATL 5C battery could see substantially longer service lives than many current packs. Undetermined at this time.