CATL starts work on a new battery plant capable of producing one battery per second
CATL, the world’s largest battery manufacturer, will now be the fastest thanks to state-of-the-art production lines at its new battery base in China. The developer claims that the new assembly lines can produce a battery cell in a second and the entire electric vehicle battery in less than three minutes. CATL’s battery production capacity at the new factory is expected to reach 60 GWh. This will allow CATL to stay one step ahead of the competition.
As the CATL battery line continues to expand, so does its global production. According to CATL’s press release, on October 27, the new battery manufacturing plant located in the new Guiyang District of Guizhou Province in southwestern China began operations.
The 235-acre site will support two phases of the production facility, the first of which has already been completed and is designed for an annual production capacity of 30 GWh. CATL says that the first phase of the battery production facility cost 7 billion yuan ($957 million) and is equipped with a modern production line with a 95% automation level.
The new plant is characterized by high production rates. CATL reported that the process from material supply to the finished battery product is reduced to one cell per second and one whole battery pack in 2.5 minutes. After the second phase is completed, CATL’s battery production capacity in Guizhou is expected to double to 60 GWh. There is no exact timeframe for when construction of the next stage will begin.
CATL remains the undisputed leader in the development of batteries for electric vehicles not only in China, where it is headquartered, but also around the world. Despite a slight drop in net income in the third quarter of this year, CATL looks set to remain the largest shareholder in the battery market in 2024, a title it has held for six consecutive years.
CATL’s market share is over 30%. The company continues to develop and produce some of the most advanced battery technologies. Its energy-intensive Qilin batteries have begun to be introduced into ZEEKR electric vehicles outside of China. The company also develops elements to support electric aviation.
CATL has created its own startup for the production of electric vehicles in cooperation with the Chinese technology company Huawei. In August, the company introduced a lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery called ShenXing, which can restore a range of 400 km in a single 10-minute fast charge.
