CATL's Zeng Yuqun Announces Major Investment in Ionic Batteries, Targets Mass Production This Year

At the 17th Annual Meeting of the New Champions, also known as the 2026 Dalian Summer Davos Forum, Contemporary Amperex Technology Co.,Ltd. (CATL) founder, chairman, and CEO Zeng Yuqun participated in a forum discussion titled "No Power, No Intelligence."

When discussing the maturity of current energy storage technologies, Zeng Yuqun highlighted two key criteria. The first is the existence of a comprehensive, large-scale support system. He defined "large-scale" as the capability to sustain continuous power supply for loads of several gigawatts, such as those required by AI data centers, ensuring uninterrupted operation 24/7, 365 days a year.

The second critical factor is cost-effectiveness. Zeng emphasized that the cost of electricity must be lower than, or at least not exceed, that of traditional energy sources, while also guaranteeing reliability and certainty. He used the mining industry as an example, noting that strict regulatory policies in many countries on critical mineral extraction, such as lithium mining, have objectively delayed the adoption of renewable energy.

Zeng Yuqun revealed that CATL is making significant investments in ionic battery technology, with plans to commence mass production this year. The company is focusing on this as a key strategic direction to reduce reliance on lithium batteries. However, he added that it will likely take another three to five years to truly scale up the energy storage capacity of this new battery technology.

He further commented on the power demands of AI data centers, suggesting they may not be as immense as often perceived. "In the country with the world's largest electricity consumption, the proportion used by data centers is actually relatively small, only about 5% to 10%," he stated. He praised the high quality of Chinese products, which meet the needs of conventional industrial applications. Consequently, about 80% of products used in the renewable energy and AI data center sectors are from China. "I think China is performing quite well in this regard," Zeng concluded.