Tesla Could Do New York to Chicago Non-Stop Thanks to New Long Range CATL Battery

Tesla (TSLA) drivers could soon be able to (almost) drive between New York and Chicago on one charge thanks to a new high-range innovation from Chinese battery maker CATL.

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Lighter But Longer Range

At an event in Beijing, according to the South China Morning Post, CATL launched its latest-generation Qilin battery today. It is reportedly a lighter battery pack, which can deliver a 1,000 kilometer or 621 mile driving range per charge. That would almost take a driver from New York to Chicago without stopping.

CATL also introduced an upgraded Shenxing battery, capable of charging from 10% to 98% in under seven minutes, designed to ‌alleviate EV users’ range anxiety.

This matters to Tesla because CATL is one of its battery suppliers. At present the biggest range a Tesla car can produce on one charge, according to the RAC in the U.K. is the 466 miles offered by its Model 3.

Other EV makers, which are set to benefit from a new battery, include Xiaomi (XIACF), Toyota (TM), Leapmotor and Dongfeng Nissan.

EV Range Nerves

A longer range battery will help combat one of the great barriers when it comes to drivers switching from gas to electric – range anxiety. Nobody wants to break down on the highway without a charger in sight.

It should also help meet increasing demand from automakers grappling with stricter energy efficiency regulations in China and internationally.

The ⁠company plans to begin mass delivery of sodium-ion batteries in the fourth quarter, offering what Chairman Robin Zeng called a “resource-resilient option ⁠for future large-scale and wide-reaching energy transitions”. It should further boost the company’s financials.

“For China’s technology to go global, it must rely not only on scale driven by quantity and speed but also on high-quality ​innovation and ​verifiable capabilities,” said Zeng. “We hope that what ​goes global is not just ‌Chinese products but also the credibility of Chinese brands. This is not only about the reputation of a single company but also about the reputation of the nation.”

According to SNE Research, CATL increased its market share in global ​EV battery usage to ‌42.1% in the first two months of the year, up from 38.7% ​during the same period last year.

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