How China's CATL Makes an EV Battery

[@Asianometry]

Like, subscribe, and all that jazz. Check out other videos in the Energy playlist: kzbin.info/aero/PLKtxx9TnH76Tx1hDbCjyMiQZITz9Xq_Fw

[@StephenMortimer]

you really do deserve Patreon support for this original work

[@mememaster147]

7:07 -winded- wound

[@Conservator.]

@Asianometry Hi Jon, Thank you for yet another very interesting and informative video. During the video, I was wondering how CATL has funded and is funding it’s expansion. Do you have any idea? All I can find is a US$9bn share placement by private investors and prior to that a few rounds without names or numbers except the Honda investment that you mentioned in the Video.

[@mhousser]

Of the couple dozen channels that I watch regularly, yours has (fascinatingly enough) the best content-quality-to-production-value ratio. I can't think of another slideshow video channel that I would follow so closely. Conclusion: very high quality narratives, and you are great at what you do. =)

[@neloxcampo8140]

checkout the B1M channel its about civil engineering & architecture and infrastructure projects globally.

[@renatoberaldo2335]

And how about the others ??

[@ganondorf1129]

what is a quality-production value ratio exactly?

[@mhousser]

@@ganondorf1129 A highly technical term that I made up to confuse people 2 days ago! What I meant was: the ratio of content quality (narrative, content, script) to production value (extremely low - basically a powerpoint presentation). That's the ratio that I am calling high. Don't ask me what unit this ratio is measured in!

[@STONEDay]

Bruh. Low quality video. Manufacturing steps complete omitted from the narration. Plus false claims.

[@isaeljosafatmartinezclavel5283]

amazing work bro. I recently discovered the true power that CATL has overt all the EV industry and this video help me a lot to clarify some points.

[@MicrophonicFool]

I applaud your ability to research topics that must be extremely difficult to get reliable sources from companies and indeed governments/countries not willing to share.

[@STONEDay]

Battery companies publish in depth information about their manufacturing processes. Such as the multiple reasons why cells need to be aged. Which was not mentioned in this video. Other things were omitted or not mentioned. Also, some of the English terminology used is incorrect.

[@MicrophonicFool]

@@STONEDay I can't wait to experience your video or paper on the topic. I like mushrooms too bro

[@JoeCiliberto]

At CATL, no one likes hanging out with the guys who work in the Cathode manufacturing side of the Lab, anyone know why?

[@nareshpaldewar6621]

Nice video, good coverage.

[@rodrigobraun3749]

Fascinating content. Thanks for sharing. Not only showing the fabrication process, but also the strategy behind.

[@ursodermatt8809]

what fabrication process?

[@RobertoCarvalho-0]

I love your videos, congrats. If i could just ask you one thing, is that I wish the volume of your voice match's the average youtube video. For me at least when i come here, I need to increase significantly the volume, and then return back down when I browser other things. Either way i will keep watching :)

[@MrGommorach]

Great video as always! I have one suggestion: it'd be helpful to display a map with the location when referring to certain cities or places, instead of only photos of said place.

[@jrherita]

Excellent work as always! Appreciate the detail and perspective across the industry.

[@etbadaboum]

Another interesting Chinese battery company is SVOLT which wants to become even larger than CATL! Please do a video on them. Thanks.

[@Moellz]

Would you mind making a video that's taking a look at the Lithium mining industry? Ecological issues shouldn't be excluded from your awesome analysis.

[@Urgelt]

Some added points of interest: 1. Tesla is buying CATL's LFP cells in the prismatic form-factor for its Gigafactory in Shanghai. These cells are used in the lowest-range/cheapest models. This is a departure from Tesla's preference for cylindrical cells. A good question to ask is, for how long will Tesla keep prismatic cells in its supply chain? In principle, cylindrical cells should lend themselves to cheaper high-volume manufacturing. The principle advantage of the prismatic form-factor is flexibility in shape, useful for conformal cells in electronics applications. Auto packs don't need conformal cells, so paying a premium for prismatic cells makes little sense unless some other motivating factor is involved. For Tesla, there is such a motivating factor - they want more cells than they can currently get. So accepting prismatic cells is probably only temporary for Tesla. It could be a fairly lengthy 'temporary,' though. Tesla's aggressive production ramp will strain their ability to meet needs for cells for years to come. 2. For Tesla's 4680 cell, they are using a dry-coating process that does away with the drying step you explained. It reduces the production line footprint, reduces capital costs, and per-cell costs. Going forward, manufacturers who don't use dry-coating tech in cell manufacturing will be at a pricing disadvantage. 3. Not every manufacturer is wedded to cell-module-pack engineering. Tesla is planning to abandon that approach in factor of cell-to-pack, no modules whatsoever. They also plan to bond 4680 cylindrical cells with a polymer to create a structural pack, which eliminates the need for trays and reduces the need for other structural body components, reducing automotive production cost and reducing vehicle weight. We should see these innovations first at Gigafactory-Austin in 2022. Note; structural packs are only possible with the cylindrical cell form-factor. Battery manufacturing is. at present, an exceedingly unstable business. Innovations are popping up at a rapid clip, raising the risk that fresh capital expenditures will become stranded before their costs can be recouped. Automakers are shifting their preferences, too - VW recently shifted their orders from pouch to prismatic, and they may shift again to cylindrical if Tesla demonstrates insurmountable advantages for cylindrical cell manufacturing, as they have promised to do. The road ahead for CATL and for other battery manufacturers is likely to be bumpy.

[@evboy4287]

It's difficult to deduct which format is best based on a company's statement. Each will say theirs the best when in fact everything is a trade off. Also, we can expect lots of innovation with new form factors in the coming years. E.g., there are startups now starting 3D printed LFPs which might not scale but still has benefits for some applications. When it comes to overall cost effectiveness my money would be on both BYD battery and CATL

[@Urgelt]

@@evboy4287 "Never bet against Elon." He says cylindrical cells will be easier to scale, and cheaper. You can take that to the bank. He says cell-to-structural-pack using cylindrical cells (impossible with pouch or prismatic cells) will reduce vehicle weight, improve rigidity and improve handling. You can take that to the bank, too. He controls important IP. Since he wants more batteries - as many as he can get, regardless of source, so long as the price isn't ridiculous - he's likely to allow that IP to be used by other cell manufacturers. I see this, and Tesla's insatiable demand for cells, as driving cell manufacturers away from wet-coating electrodes and towards cylindrical cells, to gain capital investment reductions, production efficiencies and lower cell costs that Musk believes will result. Of course there will always be smart guys who will bet against Elon and take a different path. They *think* they're smart. Place your bet... but don't say I didn't warn you. "Don't bet against Elon."

[@najibyarzerachic]

Three words cost cost cost. Yes Tesla is trying to bring costs down with the tables batteries. But it is just a prototype at this point. Other battery makers such as BYD have succeeded to being the cost down with designs other than cylinders such as the BYD blade battery. All battery manufacturers will be in the game for many years to come as there's dearth of battery cells in the market hence Tesla delaying its semi and rosters for years. Cost wide catl might actually stay ahead of the 0avk as the main coast driver at this point is raw materials esp lithium (carbonates and hydroxide) and CATL can negotiate it with it's sodium ion batteries.

[@dznuts123]

Innovation doesn’t translate well into mass production. Some products just never leave their labs.

[@Urgelt]

​@@najibyarzerachic Sodium ion is still in lab bench mode. No commercial production. 4680 has a production line going already. They're still tweaking the line, but it's producing GWhs of cells already. Reject rates are a little high still, but better than 80% and improving. In 2022, the line design will be copied at GF-Austin first, then GF-Berlin. The planned production ramp will knock the socks off of anyone who knows the history of this market sector. The Blade is just another prismatic cell. Nothing special. Wet-coated electrodes, expensive and time-consuming drying, no possibility of using it in cell-to-structural-pack designs. CATL can sell prismatic cells to Tesla only because Tesla will take practically anything it can get its hands on, not because it's the best developmental path forward. Prismatic cells might be useful in aviation, eventually. Conformal cells fitted to the skin of an aircraft make a lot of sense. There's no inherent reason to prefer prismatic cells for automotive packs, though.

[@muralip2252]

Excellent video and presentation.

[@robertoguerra5375]

Thank you for the video :D When gas prices are $10 per gallon, the _average_ people will park their ICE car and take a mortgage for an EV… but also, the electric bill will be $2 per kWh

[@mikew1200]

Excellent video, thanks for posting!

[@fatseal3076]

They showed me this video at a volvo factory in sweden, you have gotten far

[@MrBruintjebeer]

Ultra sonic welding, man.

[@nexusyang4832]

Yeah how does that work exactly??

[@MrBruintjebeer]

@@nexusyang4832 Secret chinese technology nobody knows about. In fact they are 20 lightyears ahead on the west, and the west doesnt even know.

[@andrewradford3953]

Fairly common, and useful for joining dissimilar metals.

[@nguyenthao0909]

thanks for sharing valuable content

[@yeungscs]

always enjoy your content!

[@cklam8722]

Very informative report on CATL. Thank you.

[@hudeathunk]

Great presentation! Thank you.

[@sakshikale7534]

very Informative

[@hg2.]

Well done. Thanks.

[@michaelplotkin7383]

Thank you. Great videos.

[@harrykekgmail]

I feel informed after watching the video and will appreciate my phone battery even more !!!

[@trolololguy5457]

Great infomative videos u make but can u increase the volume of ur videos they do sound quite soft

[@jayliu645]

Great video, Thanks.

[@ricnyc2759]

I didn't know batteries had to be aged like whiskey and cognac. Very interesting!

[@STONEDay]

It's sad that this video did not cover the multiple reasons why the cells need to be aged.

[@rugbeaters1]

Just curious why you have BMW as a possible competition for CATL

[@jeppewerring]

Yeah that surprised me. Maybe because BMW has its own cell chemistry design that CATL only manufactures, or possibly because they are now collaborating with Samsung SDI on designing a new cell form-factor and has a big contract with Northvolt.

[@Cross-xm2fr]

Do a video about Tesla dry battery electrode

[@larryteslaspacexboringlawr739]

thank you and posted to reddit

[@jameshoffman552]

Cell manufacturing processes description does not apply to Tesla’s 4680 cells using tabless electrodes, and dry cathode/anode process (no drying toxic solvents)

[@najibyarzerachic]

He talks about CATL s manufacturing process not Tesla's

[@TsLeng]

Tesla does not make any cells anyway. 4680 is just a form factor. Tesla buys Chinese cells... Lol

[@boycottnok1466]

Tesla can't make batteries, 4680 is Panasonic's technology. Tesla has 0 knowledge in battery chemistry compared to panasonic.

[@EdwardTilley]

Great video and excellent analysis and detail!

[@ronaritkumpuy5992]

thanks jon

[@cristianmorar5558]

Information at it's best

[@Markcain268]

I've always wanted a battery operated car, said no one over 12, ever 😂

[@mattmmilli8287]

Actually just about every person I know dreams of getting a Tesla someday and two friends already have !

[@JoeCiliberto]

Good stuff thanks, One note, on T10:44, you have telling graph explaining the relationships between EV OEMs and Battery suppliers. Would we want to add a new set of matrices with Indian, American (with Tesla also a battery supplier) , and other countries who are OEMs and battery suppliers? Your commentary during this was a very important underpinning of how this chart is formed; that is, through shared interests such as investment and equity. The second, and a recurring issue for me is at T 2:44, the picture of the town. It brings to mind my home town, where the industrial sector, sea, Rail, and highway, and residential created (or did in my home town's case), a perfect environment for improved quality of lives and establishment of the home town culture. O course we didn't have high rises like we see all over East Asia, but factory homes of various sizes reflecting employment status. Thanks again for your work. I contribute to your channel via Patreon for a simple reason. I want to understand why my country doesn't do enough to increase (and yes you can argue it is in fact decreasing), its industrial capacity, and secondly how can we correct this. Nothing against East and Central Asia nations, or even China herself. I grew up here, and left for 20 years, 17 of it is East Asia, as I watched the now dead term Asian Tigers grown. I live here again, and coming home around 2000, I was dumbstruck by how my gutted hometown looked; hence, my avocation.

[@dr.andersonsghost4315]

Battery supplier from India? You make me laugh.

[@JoeCiliberto]

@@dr.andersonsghost4315 How's that Doc?

[@yuanruichen2564]

china is also pretty strong in optical fibers and photovoltaics production

[@mezzer34]

Asianometry makes these videos just to prove they are better at pronouncing difficult words than us..

[@zsqduke]

Meh he pronounced those words poorly

[@solidfuel0]

What about EVE lfp batteries?

[@youseflatif796]

CATL produces LFP batteries also.

[@Ratgibbon]

They're planning to open their 2nd European factory in my home country, Hungary near the city of Debrecen. Needless to say, the locals aren't too happy and it's a very heated and controversial topic at the moment.

[@aqrs269]

But aren't BMW and Mercedes already in that area? Why the itch?

[@Ratgibbon]

@@aqrs269 Environmental concerns plus the fact that it's a Chinese company doesn't sit well with many.

[@aqrs269]

@@Ratgibbon Well, I'm based in Berlin. The GigaFactoryBerlin couses some environmental concers aswell. Companies move to countries and areas with low corporate-tax and incentives from the EU.

[@thelastpetrolbender2744]

If local don't like big industry that provide jobs and tax money which boost economy, go tell the Chinese to boost the economy somewhere else

[@sreekrishnanmuralitharan520]

Please do a video on analog ICs /semiconductors especially on towerjazz semiconductor company

[@jefrysax]

Can anyone tell me what is Tesla's market share in li-ion production in the world. Thank you.

[@proto_hexagon5649]

7:16 from this version the staked is the better option for energy density. Because the second one haz to much pasive material(dont hold energy is just insulator) the 3rd one dont create potential energy in the same material(cathod or anode) in the inside bending. I dont know about manufacturing but instead of this 3 option exist one better wich is ROLL. Can be as tesla a perfect circle or an elipse option that is fast and can be made in diferent size just adjusting the range of elipse(easy scalability and for diferent consumer) after the roll in elipse formate is made squize it and done.

[@proto_hexagon5649]

7:24 like that. But after they add tabs. that reduce fastcharge. JUST let the anode touch in left side(aluminium) and the cathod touch in right side(cooper) so you can fast charge and discharge. Tesla make this on new 4680 circle roll but puch/elpise roll already have it. So dont complicate it adding tabs. You will have positive on left and negative on right. that can be easy format for swaping. Imagine have bus insert the negative in already fixed hole and complete the circuit with one pice of bar when close the case.

[@kriskross6990]

Microvast also export its products abroad ⚡️

[@lebogangnkhuna9956]

Thank you, for this video. Is there a group, where we can learn & share about companies. Their supply chain and share about industries in Asia to look for investing. Any suggestions? I LOVE YOU VIDEOS, THANKS.

[@ellayang7474]

very nice video, our company produces automatic formation, capacity grading, OCV, DCR testing, and logistic conveyor lines, is there any cooperation opportunity?

[@addanametocontinue]

2:30 Lost opportunity to say "the factories will produce batteries and battery accessories"

[@DailyBeatings]

LG Chem produced a bunch of barbecues for GM, so I'm not sure how much competition they're going to be in the future.

[@Rex-ww4cw]

A year later, BYD had surpassed LG Chem for the 2nd spot behind CATL.

[@ryanshin3128]

When it comes to Ion battery, LG Energysolution is at least 4yr ahead of CATL.

[@DailyBeatings]

@@ryanshin3128 CATL is the leader in LFP batteries with reduced weight, better efficiency, and higher energy density versus anything else on the market. In additional CATL just released their sodium-ion battery, which is a first for a car battery manufacturer. LG Chem ended up paying 1.9 billion to GM and 900 million to Hyundai for their "advanced technology". If you're going to lie at least make it believable...🤣😂🤣😂

[@ryanshin3128]

I guess you dont know what is ION battery. LFP battery is not ion battery. LFP battery is more suitable for ESS industry. If LFP is so great, why Tesla now eagerly wants to make 4680 battery begging Samsung SDI to make it. Why CATL cant make 4680 Ion battery so far if they are the best? Also, LFP battery is not reusable while ion battert is reusable after car is dumped. Europe and USA wants ION battery. Not LFP battery. You can check the LFP market share in Europe. Please check actual data. Not your wish. If you cant belive, plz check this again after 1 yr later

[@DailyBeatings]

@@ryanshin3128 ChatGPT - "What is an LFP battery? "A LFP battery, or Lithium Iron Phosphate battery, is a type of rechargeable lithium-ion battery that uses lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) as the cathode material. LFP batteries are known for their high energy density, long cycle life, and excellent thermal stability." Thank you for playing, please try again...🤣😂🤣😂

[@petercrossley1069]

Not “winded” but “wound”.

[@gregr2784]

I would rather see Panasonic in my EV . Made in Japan = Relability and quality.

[@thelastpetrolbender2744]

Or it will blow up like Fukushima, Taketa airbags etc.

[@marnig9185]

CATL get rid of the Pack in his New Qirin Batterie System and produce 250wh/kg in Germany. Thanks as always;)

[@yiminyu7131]

How is this content free

[@ХусниддинТашимов-у3ш]

Hello, we can produce high quality flash graphene , in a large quantity up to 1 tonne per day. Do you have any practice in graphene usage?

[@jackwood3520]

can flash graphene be used to make battery?

[@andrewlim7751]

The Chinese are venturing and investing heavily into graphene for next gen semiconductors.

[@ricnyc2759]

Is it "Kaytle" or "see-ay-tee-el"?

[@mindaugasstankus5943]

It's hard to make batteries or just trudge patents mine fields.

[@bont1059]

good

[@cyk_official]

Please be civil in the comments!

[@bababooeymonkey6549]

fu

[@zodiacfml]

10:43 outdated by almost 2 years. Tesla and CATL has a business

[@abdulrasaqoseni6843]

lithium available

[@1978rayking]

New electrolyte prevents EV batteries from fire & increases range

[@netherwind2008]

Catl does not own tianqi share.

[@Erik-rp1hi]

Like China requires, they will need to build a factory in the US if they want to sell here. It is a two way street.

[@icecube3645]

Nope. That is not possible.

[@cobaltblue2756]

Byd already has

[@culdeus9559]

16 cell modules are very common. 18 and 22 are next gen.

[@fournierfinishing-woodfloo5460]

FALSE! Microvast also exports it's batteries all over the world!

[@mogeking56]

EV Battery Maker’s Sales Pitch to the West: We’re Not Chinese: But do you taste 👅 like Chinese and do you scream 🙀 like Chinese when eaten that’s what we want to know 🤤

[@jackwood3520]

West companies: we are not stupid, they have told me where they from. but so what? we need their high quality reasonable price batteries, then you guys can buy our car cheaper and save money, without then, maybe few people can afford EVs, rember how much is a tesla model S？around 100thousand dollars only have 60kwh battery. you understand?

[@moynulhasan7454]

I want to be Your Facebook friend.

[@dickiewongtk]

「using child labour」

[@biggerandbetterthings7222]

CCP Lemon Batteries FTW !

[@AndyFletcherX31]

Congratulations on your insightful comment /s

[@biggerandbetterthings7222]

@@AndyFletcherX31 np, i also take meth as payment.

[@rondg2]

remember the exploding samsung phones? the ones w/ samsung batteries exploded. while the ones w/ the amperex cells didn't

[@biggerandbetterthings7222]

@@rondg2 Have fun Recycling Tofu Batteries!