Blade battery vs CTP battery, which one is better?

In China's battery industry, the competition between CATL and BYD, the "two great companies", has always been a hot topic among investors, and the question of which one is better is also a long-lasting topic.

At present, in addition to the innovation of materials and formulas, the optimization and innovation of battery pack production process and space structure is a faster and more practical way to improve the energy density of power batteries. Both companies have put forward their own solutions. BYD's solution is blade battery, and CATL's CTP battery adopts a similar idea.

Comparing the two, BYD's blade battery technology is not only very creative in battery cell design, but also more thorough in terms of "non-modularization". However, CATL's CTP battery also demonstrates its technical strength in expanding battery cells and the application of ternary materials.

Recently, a rumor that BYD will supply blade batteries to Tesla has swept the industry, and has also ushered in a new round of discussion on which one of blade batteries and CTP will be more favored by more automakers.

So, in the past five years, which one is more popular with OEMs, blade battery or CTP, and which one can go further in iteration? We launched a discussion on this question: "BYD blade battery VS CATL CTP, which one do you prefer?" We received many comments from professional readers.

From the questionnaires we received, more than half of the participants said that they are more optimistic about BYD's blade battery. Everyone is very concerned about factors such as the battery's energy density, safety, cost advantages, ternary nickel and cobalt resources, and the promotion of the technology route in vehicle models.

A friend nicknamed "jf1083937370" believes that both are module-free solutions, and they have similarities in terms of cost reduction and energy density improvement. However, in terms of stress, since the battery module is the core component and stress-bearing component on the chassis, the battery structure needs to be able to withstand the long-term stress changes caused by repeated deformation of the vehicle body. In this regard, the battery pack with a blade battery structure will perform better. Therefore, from the perspective of structural durability, BYD's blade battery packaging is easier to make reliable products.

At the same time, another group of participants are firmly optimistic about CATL's CTP batteries. These friends are more concerned about issues such as the yield of the production process and the future development of the technology route.

The opinions of two friends are very representative. A friend nicknamed "6910741, Awei" said: "Compared with the two, there is no doubt that I am optimistic about Ningde CTP. Technically, BYD's blade is a safer structural innovation customized for lithium iron phosphate, which is not very meaningful for materials such as ternary high nickel, but lithium iron phosphate will not be the future development direction of lithium batteries. Cobalt-free high nickel or solid state is the future, so CTP form is more suitable for development direction." @sophia_ai said: "Blade battery cells use a stacking process, while CATL CTP cells use a winding process. Although the cells using the stacking process have advantages over winding in terms of safety, energy density, and process control, the production efficiency of the stacking process is only about 50% of that of the winding process."

The following is an excerpt from the discussion "Yuanchuan Discussion: BYD Blade Battery VS CATL CTP, which one do you prefer?"

@Toto@CEIBS

BYD is the earliest developer of lithium iron phosphate in China and should have the most patents and data. The structural innovation of blade batteries not only improves energy density, but also has advantages in safety and cost. CATL should still be the leader of ternary lithium, but lithium iron phosphate is likely to be the world of BYD. Ternary lithium will be used in high-end cars, such as Weilai, BMW, and Tesla model x/s, and the cost advantage of lithium iron phosphate can be applied to cars below 20w.

@Teng Xiaoyan

1. The nickel and cobalt resources of ternary batteries are limited, and safety issues have not been resolved, which are the advantages of lithium iron phosphate. 2. In the long run, vehicle manufacturers have the urge to make their own batteries. If external supply is only a transitional option, blade batteries are better.

@18050856xxx

Ningde is too arrogant and too strong in its upstream and downstream. I am not optimistic about Ningde because of this quality issue. At the same time, BYD is a company covering the entire industrial chain. Blade batteries are the best in lithium iron phosphate, and lithium iron phosphate has the widest audience. After all, the cost is there, so I am more optimistic about BYD.

@18677765xxx

No modules, easier to optimize chassis design

@18222208xxx

Due to raw material constraints, lithium iron phosphate will be the mainstream direction of lithium batteries in the future

@13828764xxx

Blade is more innovative than CTP. Blade's success in Han EV and its promotion in more models

@13810311xxx

Lithium iron phosphate batteries are the main batteries that car manufacturers will consider installing in the future. BYD has been deeply involved in the field of lithium iron phosphate batteries for more than ten years, with leading technology reserves and industrialization. CATL's choice of ternary lithium batteries is itself a short-term development behavior, and the future is not optimistic.

@eeeshen

Range anxiety will be greatly alleviated with the development of charging piles and battery replacement, so that more people will pay attention to battery safety.

@Peng Jie

Safety will be the focus of consumers' consideration

@jf1083937370

Both are module-free solutions, and they have similarities in terms of cost reduction and energy density improvement. However, in terms of stress, since the battery module is the core component and stress-bearing component of the chassis, the battery structure needs to be able to withstand the long-term stress changes caused by repeated deformation of the vehicle body. In this regard, the battery pack with blade battery structure will perform better. Therefore, from the perspective of structural durability, BYD blade battery packaging is easier to make reliable products.

@15811407234xxx

1. BYD's blade battery structure has better durability and flexibility. 2. Cost advantage

@Juno

It has the safety of lithium iron phosphate with higher energy density and better high temperature performance

@CaptainCrunch

For example, CATL does not manufacture complete vehicles and is not competitive to potential customers.

@23879xxx

The yield rate of blade batteries is only 55%. Unless the 45% of inferior products are used for energy storage, the cost is still extremely high, as it is only lithium iron phosphate.

@6910741, Avi

Compared with the two, there is no doubt that Ningde CTP is optimistic. Technically, BYD's blade is a safer structural innovation customized for lithium iron phosphate, which has little significance for materials such as ternary high nickel. However, lithium iron phosphate will not be the future development direction of lithium batteries. Cobalt-free high nickel or solid state is the future, so the CTP form is more suitable for the development direction.

@13022119xxx

1. Can BYD's blade battery be put into mass production first? 2. The structural innovation is not much different.

@sophia_ai

Blade battery cells use a stacking process, while CATL CTP cells use a winding process. Although cells using the stacking process have advantages over winding in terms of safety, energy density, and process control, the production efficiency of the stacking process is only about 50% of that of the winding process.

Modules were once an important part of protecting battery safety. In the early days of power batteries, companies had small production scales, insufficient experience, and low product consistency, so they built a firewall between the single cell and the battery pack.

However, with the continuous improvement of battery cell manufacturing technology, the main contradiction of power batteries has shifted from unstable battery cells to the improvement of the overall energy density of the battery pack. At this time, the module structure, which was once regarded as a safety guardian, has become a useless role and is regarded as a thorn in the eye of the battery pack.

BYD's solution is the bottom-up blade battery. Its essence is to omit the steps of battery cell-module, eliminate the crossbeam, longitudinal beam and bolts and other structural parts, and increase the space utilization rate inside the battery pack shell from the original 40%-50% to 60%-80%. "Blade batteries are out of the sheath to bring peace to the world" has become BYD Chairman Wang Chuanfu's summary of blade batteries.

In order to eliminate the modules that are responsible for the structural parts in one step, the structural design of the blade battery can achieve a supporting role. This requires it to be produced using a newer stacking process, which requires a process of ramping up production capacity.

CATL's solution is from top to bottom. Without changing the size of the battery cells, it optimizes the structure of the module and PACK, strengthens the protection level of the battery cells and BMS components separately, and greatly improves the heat sink, so that the battery pack can directly stack large batteries while taking into account the structure and heat dissipation.

But no matter which plan is adopted, what is certain is that the module structural parts that account for about 15% of the cost of power batteries will slowly exit the stage of history. After the module processing link is eliminated, not only will the cost of power batteries be reduced, but the production efficiency will also be improved simultaneously. This means that the next wave of price cuts for electric vehicles will also come with the popularization of module-free technology.