LFP as a cathode material for lithium-ion batteries once marked the beginning of an emerging Chinese battery industry. Now, first Tesla boss Elon Musk and then Volkswagen have announced their intention to rely more on LFP in the future. The main reasons for this are cost pressure, raw material availability, and expiring patents. And once again, Chinese companies could benefit from the trend.
By Amelie Richter
In the world's largest growth market for EVs, German carmakers are still lagging behind despite great efforts. No German brand was among the ten best-selling models in 2020, while domestic manufacturers continued to extend their lead. This is because Chinese buyers have different purchasing priorities than Germans. Trends and market opportunities are on show at "Auto China", the world's largest car show with over 1000 exhibitors, which is taking place this week in Shanghai.
By Frank Sieren
The recycling of spent EV batteries is still in its infancy worldwide. China will soon be the first country to be confronted with a gigantic amount of used batteries. The first recycling factories have been set up. Rules and standards for recycling have already been set. For example, by law, EV companies must collect their used batteries everywhere they sell cars. One of the pioneers in recycling is electric car pioneer BYD.
By Christiane Kuehl
China wants to demonstrate technological superiority with the presentation of the new quantum computer "Jiuzhang". The competition in quantum computing will become tougher because the technology is the great hope in battery research, drug development and autonomous driving.
By Ning Wang
The e-car industry is booming, technologies are developing. Battery cells are needed everywhere. So it is not surprising that new batteries from China are desired. After all, China's largest battery manufacturer Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (CATL) is the global number one in batteries. As a result, the dependence of the automotive and technology industries on Chinese battery suppliers is also growing. In addition, China has two-thirds of the deposits of critical raw materials such as antimony and barite and other rare earths that are elemental to drone, battery and robot production. As a result, China is also among the top three global suppliers, well ahead of the U.S. and Russia. However, even China does not have all the raw materials and supplies, so there was an increased shortage of computer chips, especially during the coronavirus crisis. This is because the Chinese battery industry could not keep up with the booming e-industry and supply shortages. And yet, the Chinese battery industry is growing steadily. For the Chinese battery manufacturer CATL wants to supply an alternative to lithium batteries with sodium-ion batteries. BYD, on the other hand, is working on its blade technology, which has a lower fire risk. This is because it contains a lithium-iron-phosphate battery. GAC, on the other hand, claims to have produced a square hard-shell cell with an energy density of 275 Wh per kilogram. The variety of battery cells demonstrates the Chinese industry's edge. From joint ventures of suppliers to supply bottlenecks to recycling and investment in and of batteries - news on new batteries from China from Table.Redaktion.
