Chinese firm claims ‘world’s first’ cobalt-free EV battery
Chinese electric vehicle battery manufacturer SVOLT Energy has unveiled the world’s first cobalt-free battery.
SVOLT’s cobalt-free pack can reach 82.5 KWh of electricity, energy density of 170 WH/kg, and range of more than 600 kilometers under normal conditions, the company said.
The pack uses standard platform MEB modules and aerospace-grade thermal insulation materials.
“SVOLT has successfully developed cobalt-free cathode material, cobalt-free cell and Pack and achieved series production,” the company said in a press release.
Global reserves of cobalt are limited to about 7.1 million tons and concerns about mining practices in DR Congo have led companies like SVOLT, Tesla, and Panasonic to explore cobalt-free or cobalt-limited technologies. Last year, Tesla’s Elon Musk announced the new 4680 cylindrical cell design, also known as “tabless” batteries. This design will allow for five times the energy, six times the power with a 16% range increase, and will replace the current cobalt in their batteries.
SVOLT said its cobalt-free battery achieved series production and has been successfully assembled in Great Wall’s ORA Cherry Cat.
SVOLT’s cobalt-free battery pack reached 800,000 kilometers of test mileage in the ORA prototype with strong test results, the company said. Performance tests included road endurance, charging and discharging performance, rapid accelerations, and performance degradation.
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Source: Energy Efficiency