CATL Unveils New Battery for Hybrid Vehicles in China
On Thursday in Beijing, Contemporary Amperex Technology, China's top battery manufacturer, introduced a new battery specifically designed for hybrid vehicles.
The battery, named Freevoy, is touted as the world's first hybrid battery capable of exceeding a driving range of 400 kilometers and featuring superfast-charging capabilities; a mere 10-minute charge can provide over 280 kilometers of additional driving distance, as stated by Gao Huan, chief technology officer of CATL's China E-car Business.
Freevoy combines sodium-ion and lithium-ion battery technology and overcomes the cold-weather limitations commonly faced by new energy vehicles, allowing them to function in extremely chilly conditions—down to minus 40 degrees Celsius for discharging and minus 30 degrees Celsius for recharging.
As more Chinese consumers opt for hybrid vehicles, they are drawn to their extended driving ranges compared to purely electric vehicles and their generally lower costs than gasoline cars.
Data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers indicates that hybrid sales reached 3.32 million units in the first nine months of this year, marking an increase of 84.2 percent year on year.
"The penetration rate of hybrid vehicles in the NEV market reached 43 percent, which is a force that cannot be ignored in the electrification process," remarked Luo Jian, CATL's chief marketing officer.
Various Chinese electric vehicle companies, including Li Auto and AVATR, have already adopted Freevoy, and it is anticipated to be featured in models from other automakers such as Geely and Chery.
As reported by market research firm SNE Research, CATL has maintained its position as the global leader in EV battery consumption for seven consecutive years, commanding 36.8 percent of the worldwide EV battery market share in 2023.
Based in Ningde, Fujian Province in east China, CATL has secured supply contracts with numerous international automakers, including BMW, Volkswagen, Daimler, and Honda.
James del Carmen contributed to this report for TROIB News