China Created an Electric Battery That Can Provide a Range of Up to 1000 Kilometers
Chinese scientists have announced a breakthrough in electric vehicle batteries: a new lithium battery has been developed with a specific energy density of over 700 Wh/kg, which is almost three times higher than most modern serial batteries. According to research published in the journal Nature, this technology could allow electric vehicles to travel more than 1000 kilometers on a single charge.
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The project was led by Professor Zhao Qing and Academician Chen Jun from Nankai University, along with Li Yong from the Shanghai Institute of Space Power Sources. They note that energy density and low-temperature stability remain key obstacles to the mass transition to electric transport.
Today, the best lithium-ion batteries in production cars have about 250-255 Wh/kg, while solid-state solutions have approximately 400-500 Wh/kg. The new development surpasses these figures and theoretically opens up the possibility of significantly increasing the range without increasing the weight of the battery pack.
The main changes affected the electrolyte — the liquid inside the battery that enables the movement of lithium ions. Instead of a traditional mixture, a new type of liquid electrolyte based on fluorinated solvents was used. This increased ionic conductivity, stability, and improved performance in cold weather.
In laboratory tests at minus 50°C, the battery maintained an energy density of almost 400 Wh/kg. Researchers believe that this technology has great potential not only for transport but also for robots and equipment in polar regions, as well as for the aerospace and aviation industries.
For now, however, it's only about the level of an individual cell, and the timelines for commercial implementation have not been announced.