China’s CATL has disclosed initial performance details of its next-generation 5C electric vehicle batteries, saying the cells are designed to last up to 1.8 million kilometres even under repeated ultra-fast-charging conditions.
In a short video titled “5C Charging: 1,000,000 KM Made Easy”, CATL said the batteries are engineered to retain at least 80% of their original capacity after roughly 3,000 charge–discharge cycles, equivalent to about 1.8 million kilometres, when tested at around 20 degrees Celsius. The company said the results were achieved primarily under fast-charging use.
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CATL added that in higher-temperature environments, such as operating conditions of up to 60 degrees Celsius, the batteries are expected to withstand about 1,400 cycles, or roughly 840,000 kilometres, before dropping below an 80% state of health.
The company said the durability gains were achieved through several design changes, including a denser and more uniform cathode coating to reduce material degradation, additives in the liquid electrolyte to seal microcracks and limit lithium loss, and temperature-reactive substances applied to the separator surface to slow ageing. CATL also said its battery management system has been optimised to route coolant to specific areas of the pack when overheating is detected.
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CATL said the new 5C batteries are intended to outlast the vehicles they power, though it did not disclose a production timeline or identify vehicle models that will use the cells.
The “C” rating refers to the relationship between a battery’s capacity and its charging power. A 5C battery can theoretically be charged from empty to full in about 12 minutes, depending on system limits, classifying it as an ultra-fast-chargeable energy storage system.
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CATL began developing ultra-fast-charging technologies in 2020 and launched its first-generation 4C Qilin Battery in 2023. The new 5C battery builds on that work. At its recent Super Tech Day, CATL also unveiled several new EV battery products, including a second-generation Shenxing Battery that is expected to support charging rates of up to 12C, though lifespan data for that system has not yet been released.