CATL to start mass production of Tesla Model 3 LFP and Model Y 4680 energy density-beating batteries

The world's biggest EV battery manufacturer - CATL - announced that this year it will be coming to market with cells that beat the energy density of both its own LFP batteries in the standard range Tesla Model 3, and the 4680 cells in the Model Y, all at comparable production costs.

The M3P phosphate battery with added manganese has higher energy density for the same price and at the same footprint as current LFP cells. CATL uses a mix of metals in the place of iron and offers energy density "about 15% higher than that of lithium iron phosphate batteries, reaching 210 Wh/kg, and the cost is comparable to that of LFP batteries."

Its cylindrical 4680-style battery, on the other hand, has higher energy density than the cells that Tesla is installing in the Texas-made Model Y version. Last year, CATL said that its Qilin cell-to-pack battery technology allows for volume utilization north of 72%, which is where the increase in energy density to 255 Wh/kg mostly comes from.

Still, CATL claims that its cylindrical batteries have thrice the longevity of current ones and it is also experimenting with even larger, 4695 cells that may allow for higher volume utilization and energy density. The first electric crossover where the structural Qilin pack with 4680-style cells will be installed- Zeekr 001 - will be released next quarter with an extended range version of 620 miles on a charge.

BMW has also signed a contract for these performance cylindrical batteries, while CATL has yet to disclose who will be getting the affordable M3P cells. Since Tesla is a big customer of CATL's LFP ones, last rumor had it that the Model Y will get the M3P batteries, too, as will the Model 3.

In the US, however, Tesla just warned that the base Model 3 and Model Y may lose their US$7,500 tax credit eligibility, likely because they use Chinese batteries, so it remains to be seen if and when CATL's M3P technology will find its way into Tesla vehicles on this side of the pond.

Get the Tesla Motors 24' Cable Wall Connector on Amazon