Chinese manufacturer Gaoshan, 20% owned by Volkswagen, has announced the completion of the development and validation process for its promising LMFP battery, which will start production early next year.
One of the keys to Goshen’s proposal is that they have managed to achieve high energy density, and they do so with chemistry that NCM cells do without the ternary elements. Something that translates into a lower impact in its manufacture, greater ease for recycling, and the simplest and cheapest to produce.
These new cells, called “L600 LMFP”, are based on lithium-ferrophosphate (LFP) chemistry, which according to the manufacturer, achieves a cell energy density of 240 Wh/kg and a volumetric density of 525 Wh/L. Some more durable batteries will have a much longer useful life, with a manufacturer’s estimate of 4,000 cycles at room temperature or 1,800 cycles at higher temperatures.
This represents a significant step forward for LFP chemistry which has made little progress in recent years, and which, according to the Chinese manufacturer, will allow it to develop packs with a density of 190 Wh/kg. A figure that far exceeds the number achieved by ternary chemistry batteries currently in production.
To achieve this, Goshan has developed a battery called “Astroino” based on L600 LMFP cells and says the pack uses a sandwich structure with double-sided liquid cooling technology and a minimalist design, resulting in a number There is a decrease of 45%. 32% reduction in structural components and weight.
Thanks to these figures, Goshen hopes that manufacturers will be able to install battery packs above 150 kWh, which will allow them to achieve the 1,000 km autonomy target approved under the Chinese cycle.
A truly significant achievement, as we have seen, would be achieved through a technology that does without rare and expensive components such as cobalt or nickel. Something that would also result in a competitive set up from an economic point of view.
And it is that in recent months we have seen how different manufacturers announce their proposals to achieve those 1,000 km of autonomy. But while it is possible in the technical and physical aspect, the economic aspect is the main obstacle to achieving electric cars with autonomy similar to internal combustion.
An example is NIO’s semi-solid system, which the manufacturer will launch this summer, but which the Chinese conglomerate’s chairman himself has admitted will have an astronomical cost, which limits its application to vehicle sales and battery rental systems. Will limit
But other groups are making progress in this regard, and in addition to a Goshan that will start production in 2024, we see examples such as CATL, which has Qilin batteries already in the manufacturing phase and installed in Zeekr brand cars. are going , owned by Geely.
Another Chinese company, SVOLT, is also standing out, having introduced its Dragon Armor battery last April during the Shanghai Motor Show. An advanced battery structure with an energy density of between 35 and 54% compared to the best current cells. Something that they hope will allow them to start producing packs with a capacity of more than 150 kWh, and will allow the models that mount it to reach more than 1,000 km of autonomy.
