Tesla suppliers releasing 6C batteries that charge as fast as refueling at a gas station to spur EV sales

Last year, CATL brought fast charging downmarket by announcing LFP cells like the ones in the Tesla Model 3, which can be brought from 20%-80% in 10 minutes, and allow rapid cold weather charging, too.

Now Tesla suppliers CATL and BYD are apparently working on EV batteries that charge even faster, at the so-called 6C speeds. This would mean a full charge in about 10 minutes, or a charge to 80% in an even shorter amount of time.

The reason for the jump on the 6C bandwagon is the realization that slowing EV sales are affected by charging speeds and availability. People want their electric cars to charge for basically the same time it takes to refuel their ICE vehicles at a gas station.

CATL, as the world's largest battery maker, is further ahead in developing a 6C battery, and reportedly plans to release the fruits of its R&D efforts in the second half of the year.

The 10-minute charging speed will be announced as part of its second generation Kirin battery architecture, which includes innovation in both cell packaging and chemistry.

To achieve these ultrafast EV charging speeds for practical application in mass market electric vehicles like the base Model 3 or Model Y, CATL will use a hybrid chemistry, or a combination of ternary lithium and iron phosphate.

LFP batteries that go into affordable EVs or power stations like the Anker Solix, are cheap precisely because they use abundant iron phosphate materials. CATL, however, will reportedly add only 5% of the more expensive metals that go into ternary batteries for performance electric cars in order to achieve the 6C charging speeds.

Its Kirin battery packs also pride on their cooling solution that goes between cells, which currently maxes out at 16 kW of heat dissipation power.

CATL will apparently be improving on that with the second generation 6C Kirin architecture, in order to advance the heat dissipation capabilities of a battery pack able to be charged in 10 minutes.

The graphite electrodes and electrolyte mixture will also see improvements to withstand 6C charging speeds. BYD is reportedly also working on its own take of the technology for the next generation of the Blade Battery architecture.

The main issue that will remain to be addressed, however, is the charging infrastructure's preparedness to deliver the power output needed for electric vehicles capable of 6C battery charging speeds.

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