In the field of electric vehicle refueling, charging efficiency has always been the core indicator that determines user experience and technical barriers. On April 21, 2025, CATL released the second-generation Shenxing super-rechargeable battery at its "Super Technology Day" event, with a high-performance slogan of "5 minutes of energy replenishment, 520 kilometers of range". The launch of the battery not only leads the industry technology trend again, but also means that the supercharging technology has moved from concept to mass production and entered the practical stage.
China Exportsemi will systematically analyze the core value of this super-rechargeable battery from five aspects: technical principles, market impact, industrial ecology, future challenges and industry evaluation.
Ⅰ. the technical principle and performance
1. Ultra-high power fast charging capability
The biggest highlight of the second-generation Shenxing super-rechargeable battery is that it has exceeded 1.3 megawatts (1,300 kilowatts) in terms of peak charging power, far exceeding the general level of the industry. According to CATL's official data, the battery can replenish 520 kilometers of battery life in 5 minutes, which is equivalent to more than 100 kilometers per minute. More precisely, it can replenish 75 kilometers in 30 seconds, increasing the range by up to 2.5 kilometers per second. This charging speed is close to or even exceeds the refueling efficiency of traditional fuel vehicles.
2. Excellent low-temperature charging performance
A battery's ability to charge at extreme temperatures is often a key factor in its market adaptability. The second-generation Shenxing super-rechargeable battery can still be charged from 5% to 80% in a low temperature environment of -10°C, which only takes 15 minutes, and can still maintain a power output of 830kW when the power is almost exhausted. This means that it is highly applicable in cold northern regions as well.
3. Breakthroughs in core materials and technologies
The battery released this time uses a number of advanced materials and architecture technologies:
Supercrystalline graphite anode: This material has a larger specific surface area and faster lithium-ion insertion speed, and is one of the core materials to achieve high-rate charge-discharge.
SEI Regeneration Enhanced Electrolyte: Improves the stability of the electrolyte, effectively inhibits side reactions, and improves cycle life and safety.
Balanced Electron Flow Management + Nanoscale Carbon-Coated Superconducting Network: Optimizes electron conduction paths and reduces electrical resistance, thereby significantly reducing heat generation and charging losses.
The synergistic effect of these technologies enables Shenxing batteries to maintain a high charging rate while taking into account safety and energy efficiency.
Pictured: CATL's second-generation Shenxing super-rechargeable battery, which can be recharged in 5 minutes and has a range of 520 kilometers
Ⅱ. market competitiveness and application landing
1. Greatly alleviate user anxiety
In the context of the acceleration of the popularization of electric vehicles, "range anxiety" and "charging anxiety" are still important psychological obstacles that hinder users from buying cars. The ability to replenish the range of more than 500 kilometers in 5 minutes has made the refueling efficiency highly similar to the refueling experience, providing cross-era convenience for electric vehicles.
2. High-speed landing and wide range of model support
By the end of 2024, the Shenxing series of ultra-rechargeable batteries has been installed in 39 models of 16 car companies, covering passenger cars and high-end new energy vehicles, and is expected to expand to more than 67 models by the end of 2025. The cooperative car companies include new power brands such as Ideal, NIO, AVATR and Nezha, as well as traditional domestic brands such as Geely and Changan.
3. Consolidate CATL's leading position in the world
According to SNE Research's 2024 data, CATL's global market share of power battery installed capacity has reached 36.8%, far exceeding the 13.6% of LG Energy Solution, which ranks second. The successful release of Shenxing Super Rechargeable Battery will strongly support its continued leadership in the high-end market, and further improve customer stickiness and brand premium ability.
Ⅲ. Ecological synergy and infrastructure adaptation
1. Fully compatible with megawatt charging piles
Shenxing's second-generation supercharging battery has been adapted to megawatt-class supercharging piles, and its design fully considers the compatibility of existing charging infrastructure. Users don't need to change the vehicle's charging interface or charging station hardware to achieve a supercharging experience with maximum efficiency.
2. Jointly build a supercharging network
CATL has announced that it will jointly build a megawatt-scale supercharging network with leading companies such as Huawei and Star Charging. According to the plan, more than 500 supercharging stations will be deployed nationwide within three years, forming a multi-dimensional network layout covering highways, urban fast charging hubs and community stations.
This not only promotes the unification of supercharging standards, but also opens up the collaborative chain of "vehicle-pile-power grid", which has the potential for industry standardization and large-scale promotion.
Ⅳ. Challenges and future prospects
Despite the exciting technological breakthroughs, CATL still faces several real-world challenges in promoting the widespread adoption of ultra-rechargeable batteries:
1. High pressure on cost control
The cost of advanced materials such as supercrystalline graphite is still at a high level, and the investment in the construction of megawatt-level charging piles should not be underestimated. To achieve large-scale commercial use, it is necessary to reduce the cost per cell through economies of scale and supply chain optimization.
2. Safety and thermal management need to be continuously optimized
Ultra-high rate charging still brings a large heat load at the physical level, which puts forward higher requirements for the battery pack structure, BMS (battery management system) and thermal management system. In the future, it is still necessary to focus on breaking through the system capability of "charging while cooling".
3. The industry is becoming increasingly competitive
Competitors such as BYD, Honeycomb Energy, and Envision Power have increased their efforts in the field of ultra-fast charging. For example, BYD is developing a 600kW super fast charging system, and is expected to launch new fast charging products in combination with its "blade battery" to form a head-to-head competition.
Despite this, CATL's advantages in the integrity of its technical route, control of the industrial chain and the number of cooperative car companies still give it a significant first-mover advantage.
Ⅴ. Expert evaluation and industry voice
A number of experts and institutions highly recognized the launch of the second-generation super-rechargeable battery of Shenxing:
Wang Wei, a senior expert of the China Electric Vehicle 100 Association, pointed out: "CATL's products not only achieve breakthroughs in indicators, but more importantly, have mass production capabilities, which will become an important symbol of fast charging from 'technology demonstration' to 'commercial popularization'."
The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers pointed out in the evaluation report: "Shenxing super rechargeable battery has set a new standard for fast-charging batteries, and its safety, adaptability and user acceptance are at the forefront of the industry, and it is expected to trigger a round of technology in the next three years."
Ⅵ. User feedback and market prospects
Positive feedback from end users is emerging:
Mr. Li (Guangzhou), the owner of the car, said: "In the past, the biggest problem of driving an electric car was 'waiting for half a day to charge', but now I can run more than 500 kilometers in 5 minutes, which is similar to a gasoline car, which makes me really consider changing to an electric car."
According to iResearch's Q1 2025 data, the proportion of consumers in the Chinese market who are willing to accept "80% full power within 10 minutes" electric vehicles has reached 68.4%, indicating that fast charging technology is becoming an important variable in car purchase decisions.
Conclusion: From "speed" to "popularization"
The launch of CATL's second-generation Shenxing super-rechargeable battery is not only a technological progress at the electrochemical level, but also represents an important turning point for the entire new energy vehicle industry from "charging far" to "charging fast".
With the continuous improvement of infrastructure, further reduction of supply chain costs, and continuous improvement of market acceptance, super-rechargeable batteries are expected to become the standard configuration of new energy vehicles in the next five years, and promote China's new energy vehicle industry to maintain a leading position in both technology and market in the world.
It remains to be seen whether CATL can consolidate its position as the "world's No. 1 battery manufacturer" with this key technology.
