Salt. Neither cobalt, nickel nor lithium. This is what CATL intends to make batteries for electric cars out of. It cuts 70 percent of the price, say the Chinese.
The Chinese company CATL has developed a new salt battery that could potentially revolutionize the price of electric cars.
At least if the Chinese themselves are to be believed.
The battery, which is based on sodium ions, does not use lithium, cobalt or nickel, but instead uses ordinary ones. Which should make the battery pack itself significantly cheaper to produce.
CATL launched the first generation of its sodium-ion battery three years ago and expects to launch the second generation in 2025.
Although the exact savings have not yet been published, BYD predicts that in the future salt batteries will be 70 percent cheaper to manufacture than the widespread LFP batteries.
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Carnewschina writes that.
One of the primary reasons why salt batteries are not yet extremely cheap is the limited production volume. Apart from the lower price, however, salt batteries also have other advantages; among other things, a good performance at low temperatures.
CATL says the next-generation salt battery works in temperatures down to minus 40 degrees.
The energy density of the new battery has not yet been revealed. In comparison, CATL's first generation of salt batteries had an energy density of 160 Wh/kg.
According to Carnewschina, mass production of the new salt battery is not expected to begin until 2027, although it will be launched as early as next year.
Exactly how much the cost will drop compared to the more common batteries is still not revealed, but BYD has said that it believes that in the future the salt batteries will be 70 percent cheaper to manufacture than LFP batteries.
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