CATL has revealed its new battery system, Tectrans, through which it aims to disrupt the commercial transportation sector. The battery company highlighted the system’s enhanced energy density, faster charging capabilities, and increased durability. With it, CATL is aiming to provide fleet operators with extended range, reduced downtime, optimized cost-effectiveness and improved overall efficiency.
Tectrans will, itself, offer a range of solutions designed for both electric trucks and electric buses. For heavy-duty trucks, CATL offers the Tectrans – T Superfast Charging Edition and the Tectrans – T Long Life Edition.
The former features a remarkable 4C peak charging rate, allowing for a 70% charge in just 15 minutes – minimizing vehicle downtime while maximizing operational efficiency for fleet operators. The Long Life version is expected to have a lifespan of up to 15 years, equivalent to 1.7 million miles (2.8 million kilometers) which CATL introduced specifically to support commercial operations, particularly in high-frequency, energy-intensive scenarios such as port operations and bulk transportation. Both truck editions offer impressive driving ranges of up to 310 miles (500 kilometres), catering to various operational needs from short-haul port deliveries to long-distance transportation.
The CATL Tectrans – Bus Edition has likewise been catered for long-distance passenger transport, with an energy density of 175 Wh/kg. Its compact design offers long-range capabilities and low energy consumption, enhancing vehicle layout flexibility. The Bus Edition’s advanced thermal management system helps maintain optimal performance across various climates, reducing internal temperature disparity by 50% and ensuring longevity – even in extreme conditions.
In July 2024, CATL launched its light truck solutions in China, expanding the Tectrans portfolio to cover a wider range of commercial vehicle applications. These solutions offer enhanced energy density and fast-charging capabilities, addressing the unique needs of urban delivery and last-mile logistics.
A deeper dive into the benefits of Tectrans offered further insights into its benefits for electric trucks and buses alike. For buses and coaches, CATL’s high-energy, high-press density cathode design enables its increased energy density, while a U-shaped seal and a zero-draft angle structural innovation results in a 22% increase in volumetric energy density against the previous generation. At the same time, for these use cases, the system’s electrolyte utilizes an additive molecular design and precise film-forming capability to facilitate ultra-stable interfaces and improve cell service life.
Within the Tectrans – T Superfast Charging Edition, a flow channel system enables more precise control over various thermal zones, halving the internal temperature disparity while tackling complex temperature difference within the battery pack. CATL has said that it achieved the Long Life edition’s extended service life in a number of ways. Here, it modified the surface of anode materials to improve their reactivity and further suppress side reactions, facilitating the transmission of lithium ions and extending the lifespan of the battery by more than 20%. For cathode materials, CATL integrated high-structural-stability active materials with lithium-rich materials, enhancing energy density and cycle stability.
While announcing these new battery solutions, CATL also highlighted the sustainability goals it is aiming to achieve through them. By 2025, for example, it is aiming to reach net zero across its battery manufacturing operations, before achieving net zero across the battery supply by 2035. To date, CATL has achieved carbon neutrality in nine of its factories.
