Lishen/Fudi/Hongheong released large-capacity and ultra-long cycle batteries to storm this field

Advances in battery technology are solving the dilemma of electrification of commercial vehicles such as electric heavy trucks, driving the rapid growth of power battery installed capacity.

According to Battery China, with the breakthrough and implementation of large-capacity, long-life commercial vehicle battery technology, many battery companies have recently made progress in the field of electric commercial vehicles.

On December 22, Lishen Battery signed a strategic cooperation agreement with China Construction Third Engineering Bureau and Wuhan Bus. According to the agreement, Wuhan Bus and China Construction Third Engineering Bureau jointly undertook the ecological restoration project in Yulin, Shaanxi. It is planned to use about 1,000 electric mining trucks (100t). The electric capacity of each truck is about 528 degrees, and Lishen Battery will provide supporting batteries. Lishen Battery will provide priority support in terms of sales price, production capacity guarantee and after-sales service.

On December 20, Fudi Battery and XCMG Engineering Machinery Co., Ltd. had an in-depth exchange of ideas on new cell and system technologies and future plans for commercial vehicle power batteries. At the same time, the two parties also had an in-depth discussion on the future development of the joint venture. .

The electrification of commercial vehicles has begun to accelerate. On the one hand, commercial vehicles account for the majority of carbon emissions. Under the national "dual carbon" strategy, it is more urgent for car companies to transform to clean and low-carbon. Of course, more importantly, in the field of power batteries, Thanks to the company's continuous research and development, the battery cycle life has exceeded 10,000 times, making commercial vehicles more economical.

At present, the annual carbon emissions of a diesel heavy truck are approximately equivalent to the carbon emissions of 1 million family cars. The number of heavy trucks only accounts for 3% of the country's car fleet, but its nitrogen oxide emissions have accounted for 1% of the country's total car fleet. 85% of emissions. The transformation of heavy-duty trucks and other commercial vehicles to low-carbonization is a general trend.

Previously, the industry has always believed that commercial vehicles such as heavy trucks are more suitable for hydrogen energy. However, judging from hydrogen energy cost reduction and infrastructure support, progress has not been as expected. On the contrary, with breakthroughs in power battery technology, the electrification of commercial vehicles such as heavy trucks is accelerating.

Data show that in November this year, sales of new energy heavy trucks in the Chinese market reached 4,632 units, a year-on-year increase of 125.8%. Among them, the sales volume of charging heavy trucks reached 2,235 units, a year-on-year increase of 228.7%; the sales volume of battery-replacement heavy trucks was 1,816 units, a year-on-year increase of 89.4%; the sales volume of fuel cell heavy trucks was 552 units, a year-on-year increase of only 34%.

It is worth noting that in the same period last year, 959 battery-powered heavy trucks were replaced, far ahead of rechargeable heavy trucks (680 units) and fuel cell heavy trucks (412 units). However, thanks to breakthroughs in power battery technology, the growth rate of rechargeable heavy-duty trucks is high. According to people familiar with the matter, since the second half of this year, sales of new energy heavy trucks have increased month by month, and market penetration has also increased rapidly.

It can be seen from the pollutant emissions that the new energy use of heavy trucks is imminent. Many OEMs have become aware of this problem and are actively looking for new solutions.

Battery companies have also spotted this market and have launched targeted power battery products for heavy truck application scenarios.

01

Long cycle life battery solution

Solving the economic problems of new energy heavy trucks

As commercial vehicles for operation, heavy trucks pay special attention to economic issues throughout their life cycle. Taking a fuel heavy truck tractor as an example, its total five-year life cycle cost is about 2.3 million yuan (operating cost), while the cost of a rechargeable heavy truck is about 1.85 million yuan. Compared with fuel heavy trucks, the operating costs of rechargeable heavy trucks can be reduced by about 20%.

However, it should be pointed out that the current service life of traditional fuel heavy trucks can basically be 10 years, but the current life of rechargeable heavy trucks can only be about 5 years, mainly due to insufficient battery life. The current battery system life of electric heavy trucks is only 3,000 to 4,000 times. , the whole life cycle cost is higher than that of fuel vehicles, which is the main obstacle to the electrification of heavy trucks.

In the past two years, lithium iron phosphate batteries commonly used in heavy trucks can only be cycled 3,500 to 4,000 times, so they may be retired in less than 5 years. The cost is relatively high for operators, but if the battery life can If it reaches 10,000 times, the life cycle of the heavy truck can reach 10 years, and its cost advantage will be very obvious.

02

Many battery companies develop long-cycle, large-capacity heavy-duty truck batteries

Pan Yi, director of basic research at the Innovation Research Center of Shenzhen Fudi Battery Co., Ltd., believes that in the field of new energy commercial vehicles, battery life should be based on market and cost to provide customers with the best battery life solution.

According to Li Shuwei, general manager of Fudi Battery Commercial Vehicle Business Center, Fudi Battery has innovatively launched a blade battery pack that integrates charging and replacement. The charged capacity can cover 200kWh~400kWh, and the cell cycle life reaches 12,000 times. When combined into the battery pack It can also achieve 10,000 cycles and is expected to become an important driver of the electric transformation of heavy trucks.

Pan Yi said that scenarios such as long-range commercial vehicles require battery cell cycle life of more than 10,000 times. Combined with pre-lithiumization, battery life simulation and other technologies, the cycle life of the blade battery can reach 15,000 to 20,000 times, thereby maximizing the value of the power battery.

At the 4th Battery Day of Honeycomb Energy, Yang Hongxin, Chairman of Honeycomb Energy, said that commercial vehicles will maintain rapid growth in the future. Heavy trucks are the largest market for commercial vehicles. It will be a trend for major models to gradually increase the charge capacity in the future.

Targeting the commercial vehicle market, Honeycomb Energy launched the industry's first dagger battery for commercial vehicles this year - the L600 152Ah dagger battery. Based on this size battery, the company also launched a commercial vehicle dagger standard battery box, which can match 350 kilowatt-hours of electricity. Demand for 600-kWh electric heavy truck models.

Ding Zhaoshi, member of the party committee and assistant to the general manager of Tianjin Lishen Battery Co., Ltd., revealed at the 8th Power Battery Application International Summit (CBIS2023) that Lishen Battery plans to launch a new 230Ah long-cycle heavy-duty truck battery in the first half of next year. It is reported that by applying lithium source slow-release technology, material grading technology and gradient electrode technology, the product has an energy density of 180Wh/Kg and a cycle life of more than 10,000 times. It can be widely used in battery-replacement heavy trucks, electric ships, electric buses and other fields. Its advantages such as large capacity and long circulation will significantly reduce logistics and transportation costs and improve transportation efficiency.

Judging from the current market supporting facilities, in the new energy heavy truck market, Ningde Times, Yiwei Lithium Energy (Yiwei Power) and other supporting companies are at the forefront. For example, among the approximately 20,000 new energy heavy trucks sold in the first three quarters of this year, CATL supplied 16,725 units, accounting for more than 80% of the total, followed by Yiwei Lithium Energy with 2,533 units.

It is worth noting that the current proportion of new energy heavy trucks in heavy truck models is still very low. In the future, as companies continue to make breakthroughs in battery technology, especially in the fields of cycle life, energy density, low temperature performance and fast charging, rechargeable heavy trucks will be One of the very important routes in the field of new energy heavy trucks. Fudi Battery, Honeycomb Energy, and Lishen Battery have successively released special batteries for ultra-long cycle and large-capacity heavy-duty trucks this year, and they have seen the potential business opportunities in this market. It is believed that in the future, under the trend of rapid iteration of battery technology, the field of new energy heavy trucks may become a new growth variable for the power battery installed capacity of various companies.