BEIJING, July 7 (TMTPost)— Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. (CATL), the world’s leading electric vehicle (EV) batter maker, is expediting the exploration on technology as well as the partnership to maintain market leadership.

Credit：CATL

A team of scientists led by Wu Kai, the Chief Scientist of CATL, was chosen as the winner in the “Non-EPO countries” category of the European Inventor Award 2023 among over 600 candidates, the European Patent Office (EPO) announced.

Launched by the EPO in 2006, the European Inventor Award is a global, highly recognized innovation prize and one of Europe's most prestigious innovation prizes. It honors individuals and teams, who have come up with solutions to some of the biggest challenges of our time. The "Non-EPO countries" category recognizes the work of outstanding inventors from outside the EPO's 39 member states who have been granted a European patent.

Wu and his team won the award for reducing the risk of battery explosion and fire in electric vehicles as they developed a lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery with a top cover that acts as a barrier to mitigate battery safety risks. EPO believed the invention helps ensure the safety of vehicles equipped with Li-ion batteries containing a flammable electrolyte.

Li-ion batteries are more sustainable with their lighter weight, faster charging capacity, and lower heat generation, ultimately providing cleaner energy. However, overcharging Li-ion batteries has been an issue for decades in the car industry. Yet Wu and his team were able to deliver their solution to a leading car maker, in just two and a half years, according to EPO.

To ensure the safety of high-performance Lithium Nickel Cobalt Manganese Oxide (NCM) cells required for long driving range, Wu and his team systematically revealed the pattern from gas generation, heat generation to battery failure, and invented the safety short circuit device (SSD), a protection device integrated into the top cover of the cell. The invention would stop battery charging when it is triggered by gas pressure inside the cell, which results from gas generation due to overcharging, thus eliminating the risk of battery failure caused by overcharging.

"It is a great honor to win such a prestigious award, which will shine a path forward to further innovation efforts for me and CATL. What is more, electric vehicles powered by our advanced and safe batteries are enabling more people to embrace a sustainable lifestyle, contributing to the global energy transition,” said Wu.

A day prior to the award announcement, CATL just revealed a new venture with Chongqing Changan Automobile, one of the top four state-owned automobile groups in China. The venture, called Shidai Changan Power Battery Co., Ltd., was recently established with a registered capital of RMB1.5 billion (US$207 million), according to Tianyancha, a business data search platform. The company is registered as a business that can make and sell batteries, research and develop emerging energy technology, new materials and materials of electronics. CATL, Changan and its electric vehicle unit Deepal Automobile Technology Co., Ltd. hold 51%, 30% and 19% stakes in the venture respectively.  

CATL inked a strategic cooperation agreement in March with another established Chinese automaker BAIC Group to build to jointly develop power battery products and explore the new energy vehicle market.  Under the agreement, CATL will be deeply integrated into the vehicle development and production of the self-owned brand-new energy vehicle enterprises under BAIC Group, and provide competitive power battery products and services. The two parties will build a closer strategic cooperative partnership and carry out comprehensive cooperation in power batteries.

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