New electric car battery technology: 10-minute charge, 1 million km lifespan

CATL and the big step in Europe

At the IAA Munich auto show, the world's largest battery manufacturer CATL (China) launched a new electric vehicle battery technology called Shenxing Pro exclusively for the European market.

This move shows the strong determination of Chinese businesses to expand market share and compete directly with long-standing names such as Volkswagen or Porsche.

CATL introduces two versions of its LFP (lithium-iron-phosphate) batteries, aiming to address the biggest concerns of European users: range and charging speed.

Super durable battery, long distance:Capacity 122 kWh, for a range of up to 470 miles (750 km) according to WLTP standards. CATL promises only a 9% capacity loss after 200,000 km, and still retains 70% capacity after 1 million km and 10,000 charging cycles.

Super fast charging battery:110 kWh capacity, only needs 10 minutes to charge from 10%–80%, equivalent to an additional 478 km WLTP (about 230 miles according to US EPA standards).

Practical use: Fast, efficient charging

With a 122 kWh battery, just a 15-minute charge from 10–80% can add up to 85 kWh of energy, equivalent to the battery capacity of a current mid-size electric SUV.

Depending on the car’s efficiency, the additional range could range from 170 to 250 miles (270 to 400 km), which is a huge improvement over most electric cars on sale.

One notable point is the 'Wave' cell design - the battery cells are stacked directly like Lego blocks, skipping the step of assembling into modules and then joining them into the battery pack. This arrangement helps increase the density of active materials, improving capacity without affecting performance.

CATL announced a $12.9 billion investment in Europe, building battery factories in Hungary, Germany and Spain. The company aims to create a closed ecosystem, including raw material production, battery manufacturing, remanufacturing and recycling.

The emergence of Shenxing Pro Electric Vehicle Battery Technology opens up new expectations for the European automotive industry: longer range, faster charging and superior durability.

While it will take time to prove itself in practice, it is clear that CATL is setting a new standard, forcing Western competitors to accelerate innovation if they do not want to fall behind.