Chinese battery manufacturer CATL has started production at the first phase of its plant in Luoyang, Central China. The first Qilin battery has been assembled at the plant. Construction of the Luoyang plant began on September 28, 2022. The completed plant will cover a planned area of 113 hectares and involve a total investment of up to 14 billion yuan (approximately $1.9 billion). The Luoyang plant is one of thirteen production facilities operated by CATL worldwide. In May this year, construction began on the plant’s second expansion phase to further increase battery capacity. Technical Details of the Qilin Battery The new Qilin battery was first introduced in June 2022 and utilizes CATL’s third-generation cell-to-pack technology. According to the company, the battery achieves a volumetric utilization rate of up to 72 percent and an energy density of up to 255 Wh/kg. This should enable vehicle ranges of more than 1,000 kilometers. In addition, the Qilin battery features large-area cell cooling technology, which enables fast charging at 4C. Sources:https://autonews.gasgoo.com/new_energy/70034013.htmlhttps://m.energytrend.com/news/20240722-47945.html