Great Wall Motors Subsidiary Starts Production of 1,000 km Range Batteries for Electric Cars

Svolt, a Subsidiary of Great Wall Motors, Announces Plans for Developing 1,000 km Range Batteries for Electric Cars Next Year.

The batteries for electric cars have already reached a great level in terms of technology; however, there is still room for many innovations that keep emerging. Svolt, a company that belongs to Great Wall Motors (GWM), officially announced in recent weeks its new battery, with ranges of 800 to 1,000 km, respectively, which will be produced next year.

New Batteries for Electric Cars Provide More Range and Are Lighter

Starting with the battery that promises more than 800 km of range, a surprising number considering it is based on lithium iron phosphate (LFP), a composition that generally has a lower energy density than traditional lithium iron batteries.

The component is named “Dragon Armor” and was revealed last Friday (16) during the third Battery Day in GWM’s history, an annual event where the company reviews the technologies developed and soon to hit the market.

According to the president and CEO of the Great Wall Motors subsidiary, Yang Hongxin, the new battery for electric cars represents a significant evolution in terms of performance and safety. Technically speaking, it was designed by integrating technologies such as prismatic cells and a new arrangement of internal elements that allows better control of temperature and energy flow during charge and discharge cycles, not to mention a weight reduction of 10 to 20 kg per module.

The highlight is the NCM cells, which achieve a high energy density, sufficient to reach more than 1,000 km of range on a single charge and ultra-fast charging rates, according to data from the GWM subsidiary.

GWM Company Implements Expansion Plan

In the meantime, the company presented a lithium manganese iron phosphate (LMFP) battery, which also stands out for its high energy density and an estimated range of 900 km. This configuration eliminates the need for cobalt, contributing to a cost reduction of 9.5% compared to NCM chemistry.

The new technology is scheduled to begin production in 2024. Official data on capacity has not yet been disclosed by the company, but based on the information presented, three options can be assumed: NCM: 150 kWh, LFP: 90 kWh, and LMFP: 100 kWh.

In addition to the new batteries for electric cars that could revolutionize the market, the Great Wall Motors subsidiary is executing its expansion plan, which includes the construction of a battery factory in Germany. A unit with an initial capacity of 16 GWh that is expected to start production in early 2024, and a second factory will be inaugurated in 2025, also in the same country.

GWM Arrives in Brazil with More Than 50 Stores

The Chinese brand announced its official launch in the country in November, after announcing the construction of 50 stores in the country next year. The automaker had already revealed that its first model sold in the national market will be the Haval H6, a hybrid model that achieves up to 28.7 km/l.

Although this new vehicle is the most talked-about to debut in the country, the brand assured that it will launch 10 different cars in the market by 2025.

In addition to the model, GWM will sell the Poer line with its pickups and Tank, with luxury off-road SUVs in Brazil. Initially, the new Haval will be imported from China, while the company’s first domestic model will be a flex hybrid pickup from the Poer line.