source: CATL

April 21, 2025 — Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (CATL) unveiled game-changing innovations in battery technology at its "Boundary Awakening" Super Technology Day. The company introduced three groundbreaking products—the second-generation Shenxing ultra-fast charging battery, the "Sodium New" sodium-ion battery brand, and the Xiaoyao dual-core battery—all poised to revolutionize electric vehicles and energy storage systems.

Shenxing 2.0 Ultra-Fast Charging Battery

What was once considered science fiction—"5 minutes of charging for 520 kilometers of range"—has become reality. CATL's second-generation Shenxing ultra-fast charging battery features a 12C peak charging rate, 1.3 megawatt power output, and 800-kilometer range, pushing EV charging efficiency to levels unattainable by conventional combustion vehicles.

source: CATL

Even in frigid temperatures of -10°C, this battery can charge from 5% to 80% in just 15 minutes and deliver 830kW of power when depleted. This eliminates range anxiety and power concerns in extreme cold climates and long-distance driving scenarios.

Technical Highlights:

1. Supercrystalline Graphite Anode: Designed with sub-micron particles to shorten lithium-ion insertion pathways and improve adhesion efficiency.

2. Balanced Electron Flow Technology: Optimizes internal electron movement, reducing energy loss.

3. Carbon-Coated Nano Superconductor Technology: Accelerates lithium-ion extraction, enabling 2.5 kilometers of range to be added per second of charging.

4. Ultra-High Conductivity Electrolyte Formula: Reduces electrolyte viscosity, enhancing lithium-ion desolvation capability.

Sodium New

Beyond lithium-ion technology, CATL's "Sodium New" brand offers a compelling sodium-ion battery solution. With an energy density of 175Wh/kg, this battery leverages sodium resources that are 421 times more abundant than lithium and features near-zero explosion risk, addressing two critical industry pain points.

Technical Highlights:

CATL's sodium-ion batteries incorporate multi-element fast ion de-intercalation technology and proprietary anti-freezing electrolyte technology. With built-in self-developed high-temperature stable materials, they can operate beyond the 70°C temperature threshold.

The 175Wh/kg energy density represents the highest production-level figure in the sodium-ion battery industry. These batteries also feature extreme safety properties with built-in firewalls, preventing fires or explosions even when subjected to multi-faceted compression, needle penetration, electric drill penetration, or battery sawing tests. Heavy-duty truck start-stop batteries can "remain operational after a year of parking."

The comprehensive temperature management system enables discharge at -40°C and charging at -30°C, filling a critical gap in the new energy vehicle market in extremely cold regions.

Commercialization Roadmap:

source: CATL

The first production model—a 24V heavy truck start-stop integrated battery—will be deployed in FAW Jiefang heavy trucks starting June 2025, targeting commercial vehicle electrification requirements. Plans for passenger vehicle power batteries with 175Wh/kg energy density and over 10,000 cycle lifespan by year-end suggest that sodium-ion technology will transition from commercial to passenger vehicle markets.

Xiaoyao Dual-Core Battery

CATL's most significant innovation unveiled at the event is the Xiaoyao dual-core battery, integrating the company's dual-core architecture with self-generating anode technology.

source: CATL

The dual-core architecture enables a single battery pack to have two independent energy zones, ensuring continuous, stable, and safe power output. The self-generating anode technology represents an atomic-level breakthrough, allowing more energy to be configured within the same battery pack space, supporting longer ranges.

CATL's Xiaoyao dual-core battery pioneers "electricity-electricity range extension" technology, covering all price points, vehicle types, and scenarios. It consists of a main energy zone (configurable with different chemical systems to meet daily driving needs) and a range extension energy zone (self-generating anode battery for long-distance travel), with cells potentially composed of different materials.

Additionally, the dual energy zones feature high-voltage dual-core, low-voltage dual-core, structural dual-core, thermal runaway safety protection dual-core, and thermal management dual-core systems to ensure safety.

For example, CATL's Xiaoyao "ternary-iron/dual ternary" dual-core battery combines ternary and lithium iron phosphate/ternary self-generating anode batteries, delivering output power exceeding 1000kW, supporting 12C ultra-fast charging peaks, and achieving maximum range beyond 1500km.

The Xiaoyao "iron-iron" dual-core battery combines the second-generation Shenxing ultra-fast charging battery with a lithium iron phosphate self-generating anode battery, offering pure electric range exceeding 1000km. The main energy zone supports 12C peak fast charging, allowing recharge from 5% to 70% in just 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, the Xiaoyao "sodium-iron" dual-core battery combines Sodium New battery with a lithium iron phosphate self-generating anode battery, providing a total capacity of 75kWh and pure electric range of 700km.

Notably, at the conclusion of the Technology Day event, CATL Chairman Robin Zeng delivered a keynote speech titled "The Multi-Core Era: Your Era."