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CATL presents electric car batteries with 6.5-minute recharging time and up to 1,500 km range at the Beijing Motor Show

The Chinese group unveils the Shenxing 3 that recharges from 10 to 98 per cent in just 6.5 minutes. And the long-distance Qilin 3 Condensed

by Corrado Canali

28 April 2026

2' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Key points

Not only charging, Catl is also aiming for a range of 1,500 km
Catl's new challenge is, now, for electric vehicle platforms

2' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

CATL raises the bar on innovation for electric car batteries, creating a new technology benchmark. The Chinese group unveiled at the Beijing Auto Show a Shenxing 3 battery that recharges from 0 to 98 per cent in just 6.5 minutes. CATL thus responds to Byd who, less than a month ago, had made it official that they could offer record charging from 10 to 97% in 9 minutes or 7 minutes from 10 to 79%.

The record set by CATL tends to narrow the gap with internal combustion cars. Not to mention that the Chinese company announced that the battery can recharge from 20 to 98 per cent in 9 minutes even in temperatures as low as minus 30 degrees.

But the most interesting aspect is that CATL claims that these charging speeds do not compromise battery life in the long term.

CATL, in fact, claims that the Shenxing 3 retains over 90 per cent of its capacity even after 1,000 charging cycles.

Not only charging, but CATL is also aiming for a range of 1,500 km

CATL also presented the new Qilin 3 Condensed battery which, according to the Chinese brand, can offer autonomy of up to 1,500 km for premium saloons and 1,000 km for sportier cars.

All this with aweight of 625 kg. This makes it lighter than comparable battery packs and improves its efficiency, acceleration, braking and handling.

But it doesn't end there, as the Chinese brand claims that Shenxing 3 batteries are intended for production cars, not futuristic prototypes, and that the first applications will arrive by 2027.

The more ambitious Qilin Condensed battery seems to be further away, while Catl claims that its new sodium-ion battery will go into production by the end of 2026.

CATL's new challenge is now for electric vehicle platforms

Until now, electric cars were appreciated for their brilliant drive and quietness as well as easier maintenance than combustion cars.

The weak point of battery-powered cars compared to petrol-powered competitors remained in refuelling, as well as the number of recharging infrastructures that were still far behind those for petrol-powered cars.

If, then, a charging post is found, it can take much longer to bring a discharged battery back to 100 per cent.

Perché agli italiani piacciono le auto cinesi?

Now, CATL claims to have found the solution: a system capable of recharging a battery from 10% to 98% in 6.5 minutes. Finally, the Chinese giant is launching a new challenge, that of platforms for electric cars, which involves integrating the battery into the vehicle chassis.