CATL introduced its TECTRANS II commercial vehicle battery platform at IAA Transportation 2026 in Hanover, Germany. The modular system is designed to cover different vehicle classes and drivetrain configurations. CATL claims a range of up to 1,000 kilometers and a planned service life of 1.5 million kilometers.
The platform is based on standardized battery packs. The number of packs can be adjusted according to a vehicle’s energy requirements and payload. TECTRANS II supports both e-axles and central-drive architectures. The platform is designed for conventional charging as well as battery swapping.
CATL Uses Standardized Battery Packs
According to CATL, dimensions, electrical interfaces, and communication protocols are standardized. This is intended to allow new battery technologies to be integrated in the future without requiring major changes to the vehicle platform.
The manufacturer lists the gravimetric energy density of the current version at 170 Wh/kg. For the largest configuration, CATL claims a range of up to 1,000 kilometers. Megawatt charging is expected to bring the battery to an 80% state of charge within 25 minutes. The stated round-trip efficiency of the system is 96%.
For heavy-duty trucks, CATL specifies a design life of 12 years or 1.5 million kilometers. After that period, the battery is expected to retain 70% of its capacity.
The safety concept includes mechanical protection measures and redundant battery control systems. CATL specifies, among other figures, an underbody impact resistance of 1,000 joules and lateral crush resistance of up to 250 kN. In the event of a fault, the battery management system is designed to isolate individual branches.
