CATL reveals CTP EV battery platform and strategy for EV market at IAA 2019

Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL), a global major in electric vehicle (EV) battery technology and manufacturing, unveiled cell-to-pack (CTP) EV battery platform at the 2019 International Automobile Exhibition (IAA).

CATL’s latest platform is said to improve battery pack development through process efficiency, cost savings and the need for fewer required parts. Using cell-to-pack (CTP) technology, which includes more than 70 core patents, CATL is able to increase mass-energy density by 10-15 percent, improve volume utilisation efficiency by 15-20 percent and reduce the amount of parts for battery packs by 40 percent.

Based on this brand-new product platform, and together with system improvements, the battery system energy density can increase from 180 Wh/kg to more than 200 Wh/kg. At the cell level, the energy density has already reached 240 Wh/kg in 2019, and by 2024, CATL aims to increase energy density to 350 Wh/kg. This will allow EV batteries to go further on each charge.

Matthias Zentgraf, Europe co-president, CATL said, “It is an exciting time to be solidifying our standing within Europe’s dynamic and fast-moving e-mobility sector, and at CATL we embrace every opportunity to connect with OEMs in the region to better understand their needs and walk them through our solutions. At IAA this year, we will introduce European car manufacturers to our latest innovations for helping them realise their electrification strategies, including our program for new solutions based on cell-to-pack technologies.”

L-R: Dr Robin Zeng, founder, chairman and CEO of CATL and Dr Stefan Hartung, member of the board of management and chairman of the Mobility Solutions business sector

CATL is tapping into its 20-year history of innovation in the EV sector to improve product performance. In a series of technical workshops at IAA 2019 this year, CATL experts will share insights on the company’s latest EV battery solutions, battery management system (BMS) design and intelligent manufacturing, and discuss how four key technologies can improve consumers’ EV experience:

- Ultra-fast-charging battery solutions tailored for real market needs, including cells that can be charged to 80 percent in 15 minutes and ensure 400 kilometers of driving mileage, as well as a turbo charging solution for C/D class vehicles that charges from 0-80 percent in only 9 minutes.

- Innovations that help improve total EV battery life to 600,000 kilometers, expand application and create additional value for consumers by, for example, enabling commercial usage, vehicle-to-grid and secondary use.

- Self-heating technology that enables batteries to warm up from -20 degree Celsius to 10 degree Celsius in 15 minutes, as well as realise a better temperature uniformity of battery cells. This ensures that the temperature difference inside the cell will not exceed 10 degree Celsius, and the temperature difference between the cells will not exceed 4 degree Celsius.

- Multi-level safety protection design, including material optimisation, product design, manufacturing, and after sales, ensuring system integrity and mitigating safety risks for the vehicle.

New partnerships and globalisation strategy
CATL’s new electric vehicle EV battery factory in Erfurt, Germany – which will produce both battery cells and modules – will enable it to collaborate closely with more European partners and more quickly respond to customer needs to help car manufacturers accelerate the roll-out of EVs. It will become one of the largest EV battery plants in Europe both in size and production capacity, covering over 60 hectares of land. 

CATL plant in Erfurt in Germany

With a total investment of up to EUR 1.8 billion (Rs 14,174 crore), CATL’s new Erfurt factory will create thousands of jobs in Germany, as well as career growth and talent development opportunities for young people. CATL looks forward to blending its industry expertise and know-how with the Erfurt area’s long history of industrial excellence to further support the development of the local community in the long term.

Most recently, CATL announced that it will supply battery cells for Bosch’s 48-volt battery system globally, providing a more effective, affordable and flexible solution to electrify internal combustion engine vehicles and reduce emissions, in alignment with CATL’s strategy to tailor solutions for its customers. A number of EVs powered by CATL batteries were on display at IAA 2019, including the BMW X3, which is equipped with CATL batteries globally. Other leading international partners that CATL is working with to facilitate worldwide e-mobility include Volkswagen, Daimler, Jaguar Land Rover, Volvo, Honda and Toyota.

Also on display at the IAA 2019 will be CATL’s leading products, including NMC (nickel manganese cobalt) and LFP (lithium iron phosphate) batteries, BMS with smart computing and high energy density battery packs.

By developing advanced battery technologies, investing heavily in R&D, and contributing to the establishment of global industry standards, CATL is actively working to meet the needs of its leading auto manufacturer partners and the industry as a whole.