-
CATL’s latest lithium-metal battery prototype delivers 500Wh/kg and twice the cycle life of earlier versions.
-
A new LiFSI-based electrolyte significantly reduced degradation, improving stability and longevity.
-
The breakthrough strengthens links between LMB and solid-state research, with implications for future electric vehicle (EV) tech.
Battery giant CATL has unveiled a new lithium-metal battery (LMB) prototype that manages to double lifespan while packing a whopping 500Wh/kg of energy density - potentially leapfrogging solid-state rivals in the race to power future electric vehicles and aircraft.
A salty solution to short-lived cells
According to CATL, the key to this endurance boost was swapping the usual battery electrolyte with a new lithium salt - LiFSI.
Traditional LMBs struggled with longevity because the electrolyte would gradually degrade, leading to “dead lithium” buildup that stifled performance.
By comparison, this new LiFSI-based formula proved more stable and conductive, slashing electrolyte loss and extending cell life to 483 full charge-discharge cycles - about twice what earlier prototypes managed.
That’s impressive not just in raw numbers. At 500Wh/kg, the prototype outpaces today’s solid-state and nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) cells, which typically top out at around 300Wh/kg.
The challenge with LMBs has always been balancing energy density with lifespan - boost one, and the other usually suffers. This latest prototype appears to juggle both with newfound finesse.
Still some volts to go
While the announcement is encouraging, CATL admits there’s more work to be done. “We saw a valuable opportunity to bridge the gap between academic research and its practical application in commercial battery cells,” said Ouyang Chuying, co-president of R&D at CATL. “Our findings underscore that LiFSI salt consumption and, importantly, overall salt concentration [are] a fundamental determinant of battery longevity.”
CATL is yet to disclose when - or if - this particular tech will hit production EVs. The R&D journey is far from over, with plenty of challenges left to tackle before lithium-metal becomes a showroom staple.
More than one way to pack a punch
Interestingly, this electrolyte breakthrough also opens doors for solid-state battery research.
Since both LMBs and solid-state chemistries share structural similarities and performance goals, advancements in one area often spill into the other. It’s all part of CATL’s broader mission to push battery safety, energy density, and life span further than ever - helped along by the company’s $2.59 billion (NZ$4.3 billion) R&D spend last year alone.
So, while you won’t be test-driving an LMB-powered EV just yet, this development could be the voltage jolt the industry needs to bring high-density, long-lasting batteries out of the lab and onto the road.