Chinese battery maker CATL has unveiled a modular commercial vehicle battery capable of delivering trucks a claimed driving range of up to 1,000km.
The Tectrans II platform, presented at IAA Transportation 2026 in Hanover, can be assembled using different numbers of standardised battery packs to meet varying energy, range and payload requirements.
It is designed for heavy-duty trucks and supports both e-axle and central-drive powertrains. Operators can configure vehicles for conventional charging or battery swapping.
CATL said the system has a gravimetric energy density of 170Wh/kg, approximately 13% above what it described as the industry average. At an equivalent battery capacity, this could allow a truck to carry an additional 0.6 tonnes of payload.
The highest-capacity configuration provides up to 1,000km of claimed range and can charge to 80% in 25 minutes using megawatt-level charging. CATL did not disclose the pack’s energy capacity or the charging power required to achieve those figures.
A full-tab, low-impedance cell design is claimed to give the battery system round-trip efficiency of 96%, reducing the amount of energy lost during charging and discharge.
CATL has designed the heavy-duty version for a service life of 12 years or 1.5 million kilometres, after which it is expected to retain 70% of its original capacity.
The company has standardised the platform’s external dimensions, electrical interfaces and communications protocols. It said this would allow future cell and pack technologies to be introduced into existing vehicle designs without extensive modifications.
CATL claimed the approach could halve vehicle development times and reduce manufacturers’ battery-related research and development costs by 60–70%.
The battery enclosure includes a hot-formed steel upper cover, an aluminium housing with a claimed lateral crush strength of 250kN and a bottom plate designed to withstand a 1,000-joule impact. CATL also claims corrosion resistance for 15 years.
A multi-branch battery management system can isolate a failed section while allowing the remaining branches to continue supplying power. The system also includes insulation-fault location and cybersecurity protection.
Akin Li, executive president of CATL overseas business, said: “Commercial vehicle electrification is emerging as the third wave of the global energy transition.”
CATL separately signed a memorandum of understanding with logistics company DHL at the Hanover show. The companies plan to develop electric freight corridors in Europe and work with vehicle manufacturers on purpose-built electric trucks and pilot deployments.
The Tectrans II name has already been used for CATL’s light commercial vehicle batteries in China. These include an 8C lithium-ion pack claimed to charge to 80% in six minutes and 48 seconds, and a 45kWh sodium-ion version intended for operation in extreme cold.
“Commercial vehicle electrification will unfold over more than a decade,” said Zhu Lingbo, CTO of CATL Global Business Unit. “With our deep technological expertise and long-term commitment, CATL is ready to be the most reliable partner for customers worldwide and for the global electrification of freight transport.”
Photo: Zhu Lingbo, CTO of CATL Global Business Unit
Credit: CATL
