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illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Verge or enjoy below:
🗞️ Driving the news: CATL, the world’s leading EV battery maker, unveiled a new version of its Shenxing battery that can deliver over 300 miles of range in just five minutes of charging — significantly surpassing BYD’s fastest-charging models
• At its Tech Day in Shanghai, the company also introduced a sodium-ion battery called “Naxtra” and a dual-power battery offering up to 1,500km (932 miles) on a single charge
🔭 The context: CATL’s innovations arrive amid intensifying global competition in battery technology. While lithium-ion remains dominant, sodium-ion is emerging as a cost-effective and safer alternative
• However, CATL’s potential expansion into U.S. markets is constrained by ongoing geopolitical tensions, including export controls and its listing by the U.S. Department of Defense as a Chinese military-linked firm
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Ultrafast-charging batteries and alternative chemistries like sodium-ion could drastically reduce range anxiety and dependence on scarce materials, accelerating EV adoption
• If commercialized at scale, these technologies could reduce supply chain vulnerabilities, lower costs, and enhance the environmental sustainability of electric transport systems
• However, trade barriers may slow global diffusion
⏭️ What's next: CATL (see sustainability performance) plans to commercialize its sodium-ion batteries for hybrid and full EV use, and its 1,500km-range dual battery could reshape long-distance electric mobility
• U.S.-China trade restrictions and licensing challenges may delay or limit international rollout, particularly in Western markets
• Industry observers will watch how automakers like Tesla and Ford, already using CATL tech, navigate this divide
💬 One quote: “This is a leap not just in speed, but in redefining what’s possible for the future of EV energy storage,” - CATL Chairman Robin Zeng during the Shanghai launch
📈 One stat: CATL’s Shenxing battery can now charge at a peak speed of 1.3 megawatts — enough to add over 500km (323 miles) of range in five minutes
See on illuminem's Data Hub™ the sustainability performance of CATL and its peers BYD, and Tesla
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