SHANGHAI, July 6 Reuters Chinese battery maker CATL said on Thursday it has developed new materials for lithiumion batteries that would sharply improve charging efficiency for electric vehicles, especially in extreme cold.

Wu Kai, CATL39;s chief scientist, told a forum in Shanghai that the company, the world39;s largest battery supplier, had developed new electrolyte materials that could sharply improve the charging efficiency of current lithiumion battery designs.

Wu did not detail how CATL had been able to achieve the improved battery performance he described.

He said the new electrolyte could deliver a 50 increase in efficiency in extreme cold at minus 20 degrees Celsius and 43 under more normal temperatures.

Winter weather conditions are a challenge for EVs since the cold slows reactions inside the electrolyte solution, needed to pass a charge between the battery39;s two electrodes. In cold conditions, the battery also has to do extra work to heat an EV, a further drag on range.

He said CATL would be able to mass produce a battery capable of delivering 400 kilometers of driving range with a 10minute charge this year.

The company aims to shorten that charge time to five to seven minutes for the same driving range as its next target, he said.

Automakers and some suppliers have been racing to develop solidstate batteries that would offer greater power and increased driving range. Those batteries, currently in prototype, are expected to remain expensive for years….