Chinese EV battery giant CATL has launched a new unit capable of 1.3 megawatt charging. The Shenxing Superfast Charging Battery can add up to 320 miles of range in just five minutes, charging at a peak rate equivalent to 1.5 miles per second.
Even in cold weather, the battery achieves a 5% to 80% charge in just 15 minutes. The announcement closely follows BYD’s reveal of its own megawatt charging system.
CATL is also advancing ‘dual power’ battery technology, combining different chemistries to balance performance. For example, by integrating its sodium-ion Naxtra battery with an LFP self-forming anode battery, the system benefits from sodium-ion’s cold-weather efficiency and LFP’s extended range.
The battery intuitively manages the two energy zones based on driving conditions and user behaviour. With this setup, CATL claims to offer up to 180kWh capacity in a standard saloon—equating to a range of over 900 miles.