Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Ltd. (CATL) is translating its strategic vision of "multi-chemical system synergy" into a concrete product portfolio through a concentrated series of new product launches. On April 21st, at its "Super Tech Day" event, CATL introduced several core products simultaneously: the third-generation Shenxing ultra-fast charging battery, the third-generation Kirin battery, the Kirin condensed matter battery, the second-generation Xunyao super range-extending and hybrid battery, and a sodium-ion battery. The company also concurrently revealed its "Charging & Swapping Integration" plan for a comprehensive energy replenishment network.
In recent years, the global new energy vehicle market has been steadily expanding. The power battery industry has moved past a phase of rapid, unrefined growth and is now entering an adjustment period characterized by parallel advancements in technological iteration, cost optimization, and safety enhancements. On one hand, end-consumer demands for faster charging speeds, improved low-temperature range, and lower usage costs are continuously rising. On the other hand, factors such as fluctuating prices of upstream raw materials, changing trade policies in overseas markets, and an increased focus on supply chain autonomy compel battery manufacturers to look beyond single performance metrics. They must now also balance technological diversity, supply chain stability, and commercial viability.
Against this industry backdrop, relying on a single technology pathway has become inadequate for meeting the demands of all application scenarios. Pursuing multiple technologies in parallel has emerged as a common direction explored by industry players, which forms the broader context for CATL's comprehensive rollout of a full range of battery products.
This event, described internally as the one with the "highest density of technology" since the company's founding, essentially represents a concentrated demonstration of CATL's R&D capabilities. Financial data from 2025 shows the company's R&D expenditure reached 22.147 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 19.02%, accounting for over 5.2% of its revenue. Over the past decade, cumulative R&D investment has surpassed 90 billion yuan. By the end of 2025, the company held or had applied for a total of 54,500 domestic and international patents, with its international patent application volume ranking second among Chinese enterprises.
Substantial investment and market advantages provide a solid foundation for this concentrated technological deployment. CATL has now established a full-stack layout across four major systems: Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP), Ternary Lithium (NCM), Condensed Matter, and Sodium-ion, achieving closed-loop control from material innovation and structural design to the energy replenishment ecosystem.
At the event, Chairman Robin Zeng stated that over the past 10 years, CATL has invested over 100 billion yuan in R&D. "Some people ask me: Is it worth spending over 20 billion yuan annually on R&D? My answer is: R&D investment is not a cost; it is the capability to navigate through industry cycles," he remarked.
A key highlight of the launch was the third-generation Shenxing ultra-fast charging battery, which achieves ultra-fast charging capabilities equivalent to 10C, with a peak of 15C. Under normal temperature conditions, charging from 10% to 98% State of Charge (SOC) takes only 6 minutes and 27 seconds. In extremely cold environments of -30°C, charging from 20% to 98% SOC takes approximately 9 minutes. This performance surpasses that of the second-generation Blade Battery released by BYD in March of this year, which requires 5 minutes to charge from 10% to 70% and 9 minutes from 10% to 97%.
The third-generation Kirin battery focuses on the high-end, long-range segment. Its cell energy density reaches 280 Wh/kg, enabling a range of up to 1000 kilometers, and it comes standard with 10C ultra-fast charging. The battery pack weight is controlled at 625 kg. For safety, it introduces "Thermal-Electrical Separation" technology, designing an independent sealed venting channel for each cell to fundamentally cut off the propagation chain from thermal runaway to electrical failure.
The Kirin Condensed Matter battery, representing a forward-looking technology, applies aerospace-grade technology to passenger vehicles for the first time. This technology has already completed its maiden flight verification on a 4-ton class commercial aircraft and is slated for further validation on commercial aircraft over 8 tons. The Kirin Condensed Matter battery boasts a gravimetric energy density of 350 Wh/kg and a volumetric energy density of 760 Wh/L.
An electric sedan equipped with this battery can achieve a range of up to 1500 kilometers, while a full-size SUV can surpass 1000 kilometers, with the battery pack weight controlled under 650 kg. Regarding safety, the traditional liquid electrolyte is upgraded to a condensed matter electrolyte, realizing a state of "no liquid to leak, no liquid to combust."
Furthermore, CATL is pushing the boundaries of the pure electric range competition for range-extended hybrid vehicles. The second-generation Xunyao super range-extending and hybrid battery elevates the pure electric range of such vehicles to 600 kilometers. It comes standard with 10C ultra-fast charging across the series and pioneers "Super Hybrid System" technology. This system utilizes three technical pathways—LFP, Super Hybrid, and NCM—to cover all range-extended hybrid scenarios, from mainstream family use to high-end versatile applications.
In terms of specific performance: the LFP version offers a pure electric range of 500 kilometers; the Super Hybrid System, using the LFP olivine crystal structure as its core framework, achieves a gradient uniform mixture of NCM and LFP at the powder particle level, reaching an energy density of 230 Wh/kg. Compared to a single LFP battery, this provides a range increase of over 15% without increasing the pack weight; the NCM version achieves a pure electric range exceeding 600 kilometers, with total vehicle range surpassing 2000 kilometers.
However, market attention is also focused on cost issues. Current mainstream range-extended models typically cap the pure electric range around 400 kilometers, primarily because larger batteries increase overall vehicle costs, potentially weakening the price competitiveness of range-extended products.
Notably, CATL also announced at the event that its sodium-ion battery is scheduled for formal large-scale mass production by the end of 2026. This battery targets resource substitution and cost optimization. The second-generation product is expected to have an energy density between 180-200 Wh/kg, with costs 15%-20% lower than LFP batteries, and a capacity retention rate of nearly 90% at -40°C.
Beyond products, CATL is simultaneously advancing its energy replenishment ecosystem with the "Charging & Swapping Integration" network plan. Its battery swap stations will be fully equipped with Shenxing ultra-fast charging piles. By sharing power transformers and modules, the comprehensive power loss rate is reduced by 13 percentage points compared to market-standard charging stations with storage. Equipment reuse rate reaches 85%, service capacity per parking space is triple that of traditional charging stations, and the fixed investment cost for the ultra-fast charging component is only one-fifth of the latter.
The company plans to build 4,000 integrated charging and swapping stations by the end of 2026, covering 190 cities and a "12 vertical, 11 horizontal" highway network. By the end of 2028, in partnership with automakers, it aims to establish over 100,000 shared energy replenishment facilities. Initial partners include six automakers such as Changan, Chery, and GAC.
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