Lithium-ion battery maker Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) has broken ground on an innovation laboratory at its headquarters in Ningde, east China’s Fujian Province.
The 21C Lab— named to represent its aspiration to lead innovation trends in the 21st century— marks the start of the company’s exploration into developing next-generation electrochemical energy storage systems and new energy conversion systems.
CATL has invested 3.3 billion RMB ($466 million) into the laboratory, which is built on an 18-hectare piece of land. The laboratory is scheduled to be put into operation at the end of next year.
Beyond advanced R&D on metal lithium batteries, all-solid-state batteries and sodium-ion batteries, 21C Lab is also working on the commercial application of its technology, such as developing lithium-ion battery reliability models and non-destructive testing technology.
In a congratulatory letter, 2019 Nobel laureate in chemistry prof. Dr. John B. Goodenough, wrote: “As an industry leader in lithium-ion battery technology, advances made by members of the 21C Lab can benefit society significantly.
“I believe that with the setup of the 21C Lab, CATL can introduce more inventions in battery technology that will allow the world to cut back on our dependence on fossil fuels.”