Chinese company debuts electric car batteries with 1,500km range and six-minute charging times

Felix Reeves
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 15:13:29 +0000

Chinese manufacturer CATL has unveiled a new electric car battery that can charge within a matter of minutes, potentially revolutionising EV charging for millions of drivers.

CATL's new Shenxing Battery III can reportedly charge from 10 per cent to 98 per cent in just six minutes and 27 seconds.

The lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery can also be charged from 10 per cent to 80 per cent in three minutes and 44 seconds.

This charging breakthrough could completely overhaul the perception of EV charging being slow for millions of drivers around the world, allowing them to ditch petrol and diesel vehicles.

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The charging speeds tested were conducted during temperatures between 10 and 15C, although CATL reported that it would take just nine minutes for a full charge in -30C.

Speaking at the brand's Super Technology Day, Gao Huan, CATL's chief technology officer, said: "We always deliver what we promise."

CATL also displayed a number of other new devices, including the Qilin III, which can provide up to 1,500km of range.

The Freevoy II has also confirmed a "new benchmark for hybrids", being able to travel 600km with a pure electric battery and have a combined range of 2,000km.

It will also look to mass-produce sodium-ion batteries by the end of the year in a world first for the new technology.

CATL stated that it continues to "shape the future of energy, delivering safer, faster, and more versatile solutions for global mobility".

Wu Kai, chief scientist at CATL, said: "A complex world demands a variety of solutions. New energy vehicles should be accessible to everyone rather than just a few."

He added that the company was pursuing a "multi-chemical" approach, with different types of batteries suited for a range of vehicles, including urban city cars and long-range commercial vehicles.

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It comes as Chinese rival BYD rolls out its Blade Battery 2.0 and Flash Charging, which also deliver staggeringly fast speeds.

The Flash Chargers contain 1,500kW of charging power, allowing a BYD or premium Denza model to charge from 10 per cent to 70 per cent in as little as five minutes.

Drivers will only need to wait nine minutes to charge from 10 to 97 per cent, while 20 to 97 per cent in freezing -30C temperatures will take just 12 minutes.

Alongside the new Denza Z9GT hypercar, BYD will launch the Flash Chargers and Blade Battery 2.0 across Europe following a high-profile debut in Paris earlier this month.

While it has not yet confirmed when or where the Flash Chargers will be installed, a global rollout has been earmarked.

There are already 4,239 Flash Chargers across China, with the company expecting to have 20,000 operational by the end of the year.