CATL’s M3P battery is on track to be integrated into Tesla vehicles, following a successful application in a model developed by Chery and Huawei. The M3P battery has already been used in a vehicle co-developed by Chery and Huawei, with plans to extend its application to other customers. CATL is still in the process of developing and validating the M3P battery for Tesla, which will likely be implemented in Tesla’s new Model Y.
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The M3P battery technology was first announced by CATL Chairman Robin Zeng in 2022, and entered mass production in 2023, as highlighted by CATL Chief Scientist Wu Kai. The M3P battery is a high-energy density battery developed by CATL using new materials, with a cost advantage over ternary batteries. It is not a lithium manganese iron phosphate (LMFP) battery, but incorporates other metallic elements to form a “ternary phosphate system”.
The M3P battery is based on the olivine structure of lithium iron phosphate and improves charge/discharge capacity and cycling stability by doping with metallic elements such as magnesium, zinc and aluminum. The energy density of the M3P battery is 210 Wh/kg, which is about 15% higher than that of the lithium iron phosphate battery. Overall, the M3P battery offers higher energy density than lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries and is more cost-effective than ternary batteries, targeting markets that require a range of more than 700 kilometers.
Reports from 2022 suggest that CATL will begin supplying M3P batteries to Tesla for the new Model Y in Q4 2022, with the new China-made Model 3 also expected to use M3P batteries, increasing its range by at least 10%. By the end of 2023, Huawei’s Luxeed S7 could be the first model to feature the M3P battery, marking a significant step forward in the adoption of this technology. The integration of M3P batteries into Tesla’s product lineup is expected to enhance vehicle performance and efficiency, thus strengthening once more CATL’s position as a leading player in global EV battery manufacturing.
Source: EVMagz