China battery hits 700 Wh/kg
Researchers in China have pushed lithium‑metal battery density to about 700 Wh/kg and reported operation down to −50°C — roughly double current EV cell densities and a potential game‑changer for range and cold‑weather performance. If scalable, the tech could compress battery pack weight and reshape vehicle architecture. (x.com)
Nature published the paper on 25 February 2026 under the title "Hydrofluorocarbon electrolytes for energy-dense and low-temperature batteries," listing Lanqing Wu, Jinyu Zhang, Yong Li and Jun Chen among the authors and naming Jun Chen and Qing Zhao as corresponding authors. (nature.com) (nature.com) The team synthesized monofluorinated alkane solvents and identifies 1,3-difluoro‑propane (DFP) as a lead solvent that enables fluorine‑based ligands to dissolve battery salts at concentrations above 2 mol L−1. (nature.com) (nature.com) Measured electrolyte properties include a viscosity of 0.95 centipoise, an oxidation stability exceeding 4.9 volts, and an ionic conductivity of 0.29 mS cm−1 at −70 °C, according to the paper. (nature.com) (nature.com) In cell tests the authors ran lithium‑metal pouch cells with electrolyte dosing below 0.5 g per Ah, reported Coulombic efficiencies as high as 99.7%, and recorded an exchange‑current density an order of magnitude larger than conventional O–Li+ coordination under cold conditions. (nature.com) (nature.com) The research group led by Academician Chen Jun has already partnered with FAW (via its China Automotive New Energy Battery unit) on a semi‑solid/solid–liquid cell reported to exceed 500 Wh/kg at cell level and fitted into a 142 kWh Hongqi prototype claiming over 1,000 km by the CLTC cycle. (cnevpost.com) (cnevpost.com) Nature’s article provides source data and supplementary information and notes that further data are available from the corresponding authors on request, signalling the team has documented experimental details meant for follow‑up and validation. (nature.com) (nature.com)
