The cathode is designed to facilitate the uptake and release of oxygen, processes that are needed for discharging and charging a lithium-air battery. Credit: Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology Understand China EV’s Market Real-time notifications when critical EV data is released All important data in one place 2,000,000+ data points Become a member At the recent 2026 Powering the Nation Forum, Wu Kai, Chief Scientist at CATL and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, unveiled the company’s strategic focus on lithium-air battery technology. This marks the first time CATL has publicly identified this technology as its future development direction and a focal point for the next generation of global battery competition. The “breathable” battery: a leap in energy density Unlike traditional lithium-ion batteries, which rely on heavy metal compounds like nickel, cobalt, and manganese to “house” lithium ions, lithium-air batteries utilise lithium metal as the anode and oxygen from the air as the cathode reactant. This design significantly reduces weight and complexity, earning them the nickname “breathable batteries.” The theoretical energy density of lithium-air technology is staggering, reaching up to 12,000 Wh/kg—a figure comparable to gasoline (approx. 13,000 Wh/kg). While current laboratory prototypes have achieved over 1,200 Wh/kg, this is already more than four times the 250–270 Wh/kg capacity of mainstream lithium-ion batteries and significantly higher than the 500 Wh/kg expected from solid-state batteries. If successfully commercialised, this technology could fundamentally eliminate range anxiety, making electric vehicle ranges exceeding 1,600 km common. A schematic drawing of the lithium-air battery. (Credit: UIC and Argonne National Laboratories.) Overcoming historical hurdles While the concept of lithium-air batteries dates back to the 1970s, practical application has been hindered by engineering challenges, such as sensitivity to moisture and carbon dioxide in the air, as well as issues with catalyst stability and cycle life. However, recent breakthroughs have revitalised the field: 2024: A joint research team from the University of Illinois Chicago, Argonne National Laboratory, and California State University, Northridge, successfully demonstrated a lithium-air battery capable of over 700 cycles in an air-like environment. 2025: Argonne National Laboratory and the Illinois Institute of Technology developed a prototype achieving 1,200 Wh/kg with a 1,000-cycle lifespan at room temperature. This technology is projected to enable EV ranges exceeding 1,600 km and is expected to be ready for deployment after 2030. A strategic roadmap CATL’s announcement follows its successful track record with sodium-ion batteries. After first proposing the sodium-ion concept in 2020, CATL has successfully scaled the technology, with mass production underway in 2026. Sodium-ion batteries are now being integrated into various models, including the GAC Aion UT, Changan Oshan 520, and vehicles from brands like Geely, Chery, and FAW. With this latest pivot, CATL’s long-term strategy for the battery industry has become clear: Short-term: Rely on mature technologies to meet immediate market demands. Mid-term: Upgrade user experiences through solid-state battery integration. Long-term: Explore the theoretical limits of energy storage via lithium-air technology. CATL holds the world’s largest market share in both power batteries and energy storage. In terms of power batteries, it leads the market by securing a 47.0% market share in April 2026. Regarding energy storage, in 2025, CATL’s energy storage battery sales reached 121 GWh, with a global market share of 30.4%, ranking No. 1 worldwide for five consecutive years.
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