Analysis of the current technical level of domestic R03 Carbon battery companies

　　On the premise of ensuring safety, increasing energy density, reducing production costs, and improving product consistency are topics of widespread concern in the R03 Carbon battery industry. The production cost curve is constantly fluctuating, and product consistency is difficult to quantify. To evaluate the technical level of R03 Carbon battery companies, comparing the energy density of battery cells is the most intuitive method.

　　This article takes ternary batteries as an example. According to the three packaging systems of square shell, cylindrical and soft package, and with reference to the opinions of some people, without considering satellites, the current technical level of domestic R03 Carbon battery companies is analyzed based on energy density as the standard.

　　Square Shell: CATL and BYD may not lag behind

　　Official data shows that the current energy density of CATL’s square-shell batteries has reached 240Wh/kg, and the technical plan is to increase the energy density of the batteries to 300Wh/kg by 2020.

　　While increasing the energy density through the 811 ternary cathode + silicon/carbon hybrid anode, sacrifices must be made in terms of cycle, high temperature performance, cost, safety, etc. At the same time, the production process and environmental requirements are also relatively demanding. According to informed sources, the energy density of square case batteries supplied in large quantities by CATL in 2017 was between 190 and 210 Wh/kg, and is likely to increase to 210 and 230 Wh/kg in 2018.

　　As early as early 2017, CATL launched the "New Generation Lithium-ion R03 Carbon battery Industrialization Technology Development" project to develop lithium-ion power batteries with high-nickel ternary materials as the positive electrode and silicon-carbon composites as the negative electrode. In 2017, CATL's total production capacity was 17.09Gwh, and the new prospectus just released shows that when the Huxi lithium-ion R03 Carbon battery production base project reaches production, CATL will add 24GWh of new production capacity, and the total production capacity will reach 41.09GWh. .

　　BYD insiders broke the news that the energy density of BYD's mass-produced batteries at this stage is 220Wh/kg, and the goal is to achieve 300Wh/kg before 2020. Today, BYD's total R03 Carbon battery capacity is 16GWh, of which lithium iron phosphate batteries account for 9GWh and ternary lithium batteries account for 7GWh.

　　Internationally, square case batteries are also the main product of Samsung SDI. In 2017, Zheng Shixiong, vice president of Samsung SDI Co., Ltd., publicly stated that the energy density of Samsung SDI power batteries is currently 250Wh/kg and is expected to reach the target of 350Wh/kg in 2023. Perhaps in 2017, Samsung has really achieved mass production of 250Wh/kg square case batteries, but it is reported that it may use NCA ternary cathode material.

　　There are many types of square case batteries, and according to customer requirements, battery companies can customize them in terms of capacity, shape and size. Taking into account the difference in the material formulas of the positive and negative electrodes, the energy density between square case batteries of the same specifications is more comparable. The gap in cell energy density between domestic and foreign leading square case R03 Carbon battery companies may be very small. Perhaps based on this technical condition alone, China may not lag too far behind.

　　Cylinder: Can Bic surpass Panasonic?

　　As one of the few companies in China that focuses on cylindrical power batteries, BAK said that its 2.75Ah R03 Carbon battery cell (18650) energy density has reached 240Wh/Kg, and plans to achieve 300Wh/kg in 2020.

　　At the same time, BAK is also committed to developing 21700 cylindrical R03 Carbon battery cells with high energy ratio. Officials revealed that compared with the 18650 product, the monomer energy density of the BAK 21700 has increased by 35% (reaching the level of 324Wh/kg?). It currently has mass production capabilities and is expected to achieve mass production in 2018.

　　BAK's two major production bases in Shenzhen and Zhengzhou have a total annual production capacity of 8GWh; in 2018, the production capacity will be expanded to 12GWh; it is expected that by 2020, BAK's total annual production capacity will reach 20GWh.

　　According to the information released by Tesla in 2017, the energy density of Panasonic's mass-produced NCA18650 cylindrical R03 Carbon battery cell is around 250Wh/kg, while the energy density of the 21700 cell has reached 300Wh/kg. If BAK can mass-produce 21,700 cylindrical batteries in 2018, its energy density can exceed Panasonic's 2017 level, nearly 8% higher.

　　is this real? Panasonic has not publicly announced the latest commercial technology progress in 2018. If BAK can really achieve mass production of 324Wh/kg cylindrical batteries in 2018, it may become the mass-produced powerhouse with the highest energy density in the world. The battery is gone.

　　Soft packaging: perhaps more scientific research significance

　　Soft packaging, as opposed to hard shells (square shells, cylinders), is a common packaging method for batteries, so it is consistent with cylinders and squares.

　　The energy density of Tianneng's mass-produced soft-packed batteries has reached 230Wh/kg/kg, and products with 250-260Wh/kg will be launched by the end of 2018. Tianneng's current soft-pack R03 Carbon battery production capacity is 2.5GWh ~ 3GWh, and will be expanded to about 8GWh in 2019. All new production capacity will be the ternary soft-package route.

　　The energy density of the cells currently supplied by Kanai New Energy in mass production is 220Wh/kg, and the products in 2018 will reach 250Wh/kg. As of the end of 2017, Kanai New Energy's total production capacity was 2GWh, which will be expanded to 6GWh by the end of 2018.

　　Guoxuan Hi-Tech also disclosed in its investor relations activity records that the company's undertaking of the National Ministry of Science and Technology's 300Wh/kg high energy density major science and technology project is progressing smoothly. It has developed the ternary 811 soft-packed battery cell with an energy density of 302Wh/kg. Currently, The construction of pilot lines for related products has begun and it is planned to start construction of production lines in 2019.

　　Tian Shuo, general manager of Beijing Keyi Power Technology Co., Ltd., analyzed that companies undertaking research on major special R03 Carbon battery cell projects of the Ministry of Science and Technology have their own reasons for choosing ternary soft bags. "To complete a 300Wh/kg battery cell, soft packaging is definitely much easier than square cases."

　　The mechanical strength of soft-packed batteries is poor, and the teaming process and thermal management matching requirements are high, which poses certain challenges to the BMS design of vehicle companies. Moreover, some core components are not yet produced in China, but as the industrial chain matures, the prospect of large-scale localization is worth looking forward to.

　　It is easier to launch satellites than to do practical work

　　Although each major battery company has its own main products, in terms of research and development, companies will be involved to varying degrees in the three different systems of batteries: square case, cylindrical and soft pack. No one will hang himself from a tree. Perhaps the market at this stage determines the type of products that companies mainly promote, but in the long run, there will not be a unique technical route.

　　In today's R03 Carbon battery industry, news such as capital injection and corporate mergers and acquisitions are emerging one after another. Various battery concepts and laboratory breakthroughs are coming one after another. News such as "800km of battery life after 1 minute of charging" frequently hit the screen. Putting aside commercialization, talking about technology is a joke. Each technical route has its own advantages and disadvantages. In the end, companies are good at what they do, market choice, and products speak for themselves.

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