CATL batteries charge as fast as stopping for gas and weigh 'three adult men' less

Contemporary Amperex Technology, the world's biggest battery maker, held its 2026 Tech Day, and EV charging speed stopped being an inconvenience. CATL unveiled several new battery products at the event, headlined by a fast 10C charging technology capability that arguably makes the gas station comparison finally flip in EVs' favor.

Thanks to several innovations like increasing cooling efficiency by 20%, for instance, the Shenxing 3 LFP battery charges from 10% to 35% in just one minute, hits 80% in 3 minutes and 44 seconds, and reaches the 98% level in 6 minutes and 27 seconds for a sustained 10C charging speed that CATL says can peak at 15C during the early stages of charging.

EV charging vs gas station stop

To put that in perspective, a typical gas station stop, i.e., pulling in, fueling, paying, and pulling out, takes roughly five to seven minutes. Even at a brutal -30°C, the battery reaches 98% charge in about 9 minutes, courtesy of a pulse self-heating system that works on any standard Supercharger without any exotic infrastructure needed. Thanks to the greatly improved thermals, the battery retains over 90% of its capacity even after 1,000 ultra-fast charging cycles, as CATL wanted to address longevity concerns, too.

The engineering behind the Shenxing 3 has achieved an internal resistance of just 0.25 milliohms that is the lowest in the world for ultra-fast charging and 50% below the industry average, and the LFP battery isn't the only showstopper here, as all of the new CATL offerings come with the same 10C charging technology, combining low internal resistance and better thermal management.

25% lighter Qilin battery 

CATL also introduced the Qilin 3 Condensed Battery generation, with a gravimetric energy density of 350 Wh/kg and a volumetric energy density of 760 Wh/L that uses a non-flammable gel electrolyte that is extremely safe when it comes to leakage or combustion. Compared to a 125 kWh pack that would allow a similar range, it weighs 255 kg less, or "three adult men" as CATL puts it.

That weight difference translates directly into better handling, efficiency, and cabin space. CATL says that executive sedans equipped with the Qilin 3 can push past 1,500 km of range, while full-size SUVs can manage 1,000 km, but that is on the generous local CLTC cycle. In EPA terms, this would likely translate to nearly 500 miles on a charge for a big and heavy SUV like Lucid's Gravity.

CATL also launched a second-generation Freevoy battery for hybrids offering 600 km of all-electric range and a combined range of up to 2,000 km in its NCM variant. Coincidentally, that one also charges in a few minutes in its plug-in variant. CATL currently holds a 39.2% share of the global EV battery market, and after the introduction of safe 10C charging speeds across its battery portfolio, it is easy to see why.

Get the Tesla Universal Wall Connector with 24' Cable on Amazon