Two present titans within the electrical mobility business have utilized an present three way partnership to ship a contemporary battery know-how to assist EV drivers ultimately go farther sooner. As we speak, SAIC-GM and CATL launched a brand new lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery cell with a 6C multiplier, enabling recharge charges of as much as 200km in simply 5 minutes, making it the quickest charging battery cell in China.
SAIC Basic Motors Company Restricted (SAIC-GM) is a three way partnership based in Shanghai in 1997 as a 50/50 partnership. In that point, SAIC has helped American automaker GM maintain a decent chunk of the Chinese language automotive market and has expanded the partnership right into a separate three way partnership that added Guangxi Auto (beforehand Wuling Group) to develop and manufacture industrial and shopper autos for the Chinese language market below the Wuling and Baojun marques.
In the meantime, China’s CATL has remained the world chief in battery manufacturing for seven straight years. This previous March, we reported that GM was in talks with CATL to license extra reasonably priced LFP batteries and collectively develop a brand new manufacturing facility in North America.
Throughout the pond, GM’s SAIC three way partnership and CATL have been performing some battery improvement of their very own, launching a brand new 6C LFP
SAIC-GM and CATL ship ultra-fast charging battery
The 2 three way partnership companions shared particulars of their new fast-charging LFP battery cell immediately, and a number of other Chinese language media retailers, together with CnEVPost, coated the occasion. In accordance with the JV, the brand new cell, which options cheaper lithium-iron-phosphate chemistry, can allow 6C ultra-fast charging – an business first.
Because of this, SAIC-GM and CATL say the brand new battery cell can garner 200 km (124 miles) of vary in simply 5 minutes of DC quick charging. The “C” within the business’s charging classification refers back to the battery cell’s given charging multiplier. So, attaining 6C signifies that GM and CATL’s new LFP battery may be totally charged in one-sixth of an hour or 10 minutes, relying on the facility output of a given DCFC.
Till now, Chinese language automakers have solely been capable of ship a 5.5C battery, which ZEEKR applied in its 2025 007 sedan, hailed by its makers because the “quickest charging manufacturing automobile.” On the time, ZEEKR stated its new LFP know-how might recharge the 007 from 10-80% state-of-charge in 10.5 minutes.
With its new 6C cell, SAIC-GM and CATL look to blow these charging charges out of the water. In accordance with the businesses, the brand new LFP cells will likely be operational in 2025 inside GM’s Ultium’s quasi-900V structure, which can even function extra design upgrades, comparable to a brand new CTP structural design and enhanced cooling know-how.
