CATL’s Shenxing LFP Battery Outpaces Rivals with Record-Breaking EV Charging Speeds

Battery manufacturer CATL has set a new benchmark for electric vehicle (EV) charging speeds, surpassing competitors like BYD and Geely with its latest Shenxing LFP battery.

The breakthrough technology enables rapid charging from 10% to 35% in just one minute, while a 10% to 80% charge takes only 3 minutes and 44 seconds. Even in cold conditions, performance remains strong, with a 10% to 98% charge completed in 9 minutes at -30°C (-22°F).

How CATL’s Battery Stacks Up Against Competitors

These speeds dwarf those of rival batteries, which were once considered cutting-edge:

• Geely’s Golden Brick battery: 10-70% charge in 4 minutes 22 seconds
• BYD’s Blade 2.0 battery: 10-70% charge in 5 minutes
• Geely’s Golden Brick (10-97%): 8 minutes 42 seconds
• BYD’s Blade 2.0 (10-97%): 9 minutes

In a striking comparison, CATL’s battery can go from flat to full in just 13 seconds less than it takes a Ford Mustang GTD to complete a lap of the Nürburgring.

Technical Innovations Behind the Breakthrough

CATL unveiled the Shenxing LFP battery at its Tech Day Event, highlighting key features that enable its exceptional performance:

• 0.25 milliohms internal resistance, 50% lower than the industry average
• Multi-point temperature monitoring for each cell
• Self-heating technology using heat pulses to enhance low-temperature charging

Durability and Future Expansion

Beyond speed, CATL emphasizes the battery’s longevity, claiming it retains over 90% health after 1,000 ultra-fast charge cycles. This counters skepticism from automakers like BMW regarding the long-term viability of ultra-fast charging batteries.

While BYD has already expanded its Flash Charging network to Europe, CATL is exploring partnerships, including collaborations with SAIC-GM-Wuling within China. However, the technology is unlikely to arrive in the U.S. in the near future.