Manufacturer CATL is known as the largest supplier of batteries for electric cars. The company supplies Tesla, BMW, Hyundai and Volkswagen, among others. Now CATL is introducing a new battery intended for hybrid cars, which will thus have a greater range.
CATL has developed a hybrid battery that enables 400 kilometers of driving on a full charge. The new battery is called Freevoy and is the first hybrid battery in the world with such a large range. The battery can provide a range of 280 kilometers after just 10 minutes of charging.
Responding to the hybrid trend
Several automakers have toned down their ambitions in the field of fully electric cars in recent months, because according to them, consumers do not all want to go fully electric yet. Major manufacturers see hybrid cars as an interesting intermediate form. This category is showing significant growth and CATL clearly wants to respond to this.
Freevoy is currently used in Chinese cars such as Li Auto, Geely and Chery. Geely owns Volvo and Lynk & Co, Polestar and Zeekr also fall under this brand. It is therefore not inconceivable that Freevoy will also be in cars on Dutch roads in the future. There are currently 30 extended-range hybrids that will be released in 2025 and will have the Freevoy as a battery.
Extended-range hybride
The difference between an extended-range hybrid and a standard hybrid is that the battery is larger and runs on electricity alone. There is a fossil fuel engine present, but it is purely used as a kind of large power bank to recharge the fully electric batteries when needed.
This type of car is popular in China. Consumers like that these cars have a greater range, which means you are less likely to suffer from range anxiety, the fear of having an empty battery before you arrive at your destination. Plus: they cost less than fuel cars.
This CATL battery can also withstand severe cold. The batteries are a mix of sodium-ion and lithium-ion, so you are less likely to be stuck in frost.
CATL is the leader
CATL is doing well: the company is showing growth and has now added 3.1 percent to its market share in China, reaching a market share of 47 percent in the first half of the year. Meanwhile, number 2 in that market, BYD, is seeing its dreams go up in smoke: its market share actually fell by 4.28 percentage points, while CATL’s rose by 3.1 percentage points.
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Source: www.bright.nl
