This innovative battery technology will enable you to quickly charge your electric vehicle without damaging the battery's health.

      CATL asserts that its newest battery technology can manage ultra-fast charging without causing accelerated long-term degradation.

      The Chinese electric vehicle battery leader, CATL, claims to have found a solution for ultra-fast charging that doesn't compromise the longevity of batteries. If proven accurate, this advancement could resolve a major challenge that has hindered the growth of electric vehicles.

      In a video released in late January, the battery manufacturer presented its latest 5C lithium-ion battery, specifically engineered to support ultra-fast charging with minimal impact on long-term battery durability. According to Inside EVs, CATL asserts that the 5C battery can maintain 80% of its initial capacity after 1,400 charge cycles at an operating temperature of 140°F (60°C), which corresponds to approximately 522,000 miles of use.

      Furthermore, the battery reportedly performs even better at a more moderate temperature of 68°F (20°C), retaining 80% capacity even after 3,000 charge cycles, translating to around 1.12 million miles of usage. This far exceeds the capabilities of most existing EV battery packs and is sufficient to outlast many vehicles themselves.

      How CATL claims to have achieved this

      CATL attributes these enhancements to a denser and more uniform cathode coating that reduces degradation, a proprietary electrolyte additive that repairs microcracks, and a temperature-sensitive separator that alleviates heat-induced stress. Additionally, the battery management system has been improved to actively cool hotspots and help manage charging stress.

      At this point, CATL has not disclosed when these batteries will be available in production vehicles or how they will perform in real-world scenarios. Lab results can often differ from battery performance in everyday conditions, but if the company's claims are substantiated outside of controlled conditions, fast charging without negatively impacting battery health could no longer be a compromise for EV purchasers.

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      Tesla has introduced a new all-wheel-drive variant of the Model Y in the United States, priced at $41,990, as indicated by an update on its website on Monday. This slight addition to the lineup provides shoppers seeking AWD with an alternative that doesn’t require them to opt for a more expensive configuration.

      This change comes at a strategic time, as the broader electric vehicle market has cooled since September due to the Trump administration’s decision to end the $7,500 federal tax credits, leading to increased costs for many buyers. In response, Tesla has been focusing on lower starting prices to maintain demand, and this new option aligns with that strategy.

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      Concerns regarding the safety of hidden and electronic door handles have prompted China to take action, potentially affecting global automakers.

      Pop-out door handles, which transitioned from a futuristic feature to a common design choice among car manufacturers, especially among EV makers emulating Tesla's sleek aesthetic, have led to various frustrations in practical use. Issues such as frozen handles in winter and doors that won’t open when the battery is dead have resulted in several reports of drivers being locked out and, more alarmingly, passengers being trapped after accidents. Consequently, Chinese regulators are intervening to halt this trend.

      China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has revealed new vehicle safety regulations that effectively ban hidden and flush-mounted door handles on new vehicles. According to Bloomberg, these rules will be implemented on January 1, 2027, and will apply to all newly approved passenger vehicles sold in the country.

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      Honda has conducted a test of an AI system that enables vehicles to automatically report potholes and damaged signs.

      If you’ve traveled the same roads frequently, you likely know exactly where the faded signs are or where persistent potholes exist. Such roadway issues can be easily identified while driving, yet getting them addressed often takes considerable time. To tackle this issue, Honda has partnered with DriveOhio to launch a new AI-driven road safety initiative designed to proactively detect and report hazards based on data collected from vehicles in everyday traffic.

      Honda's official announcement states that it has successfully completed what it describes as a national-first field test in Ohio, utilizing advanced vision and LiDAR sensors to pinpoint problems like potholes, worn-out pavements, damaged guardrails, and missing or obstructed road signs. In this pilot program, a small fleet of Honda vehicles covered approximately 3,000 miles across diverse urban and rural routes, operating under various weather conditions and times of day, achieving notable precision in identifying these issues.