Contemporary Amperex Technology Limited (CATL), a dominant force in battery manufacturing, has made a significant breakthrough by becoming the first company to meet China's stringent new 'No Fire, No Explosion' national safety standard. This achievement marks a pivotal moment for the electric vehicle (EV) industry, promising enhanced safety and reliability for energy storage systems.

The new national standard, GB 38031-2025, is set to be enforced on July 1, 2026. It introduces much tougher requirements, mandating that batteries must withstand thermal runaway events without igniting or exploding. This is a substantial upgrade from the previous standard, which only required warning signals before such incidents. The updated regulation also stipulates that any smoke emitted during thermal runaway must not pose a threat to vehicle occupants.

CATL's accomplishment in meeting these rigorous standards well ahead of the deadline underscores its technological prowess and commitment to battery safety. The company announced that its Qilin battery cells and packs have successfully undergone and passed the required testing. The China Automotive Technology and Research Center (CATARC), a highly respected third-party certification agency, conducted the evaluations. CATARC is also known for managing the China New Car Assessment Program (C-NCAP), which assesses vehicle crash performance and safety.

To comply with GB 38031-2025, battery manufacturers must now pass more demanding safety tests. These include a bottom impact test, designed to evaluate the battery's resilience to collisions, and a test that assesses the battery's safety after enduring 300 fast-charging cycles, followed by a short-circuit test.

CATL submitted its Qilin battery for these rigorous inspections. Introduced in June 2022, the Qilin battery represents CATL's third-generation cell-to-pack (CTP) technology. It boasts a high volume utilization rate of 72% and an energy density reaching up to 255 Wh/kg. CATL emphasizes the Qilin battery's robust load-bearing structure and enhanced protection against thermal runaway.

The Qilin battery has already gained traction in the EV market, being adopted by several major automakers, including Aito, Zeekr, Li Auto, Xiaomi, Neta, Avatr, and Lotus. The Qilin battery cells are made with prismatic lithium-ion cells. These cells utilize a cell-to-pack (CTP) design, which means the cells are directly integrated into the battery pack without the need for separate modules, leading to higher energy density and space efficiency.

CATL has stated its ongoing commitment to advancing power battery safety through continuous technological innovation. The company's future focus will include improving heat diffusion control to prevent overheating, strengthening bottom impact protection to minimize damage from accidents, and ensuring fast-charging safety to mitigate risks during high-speed charging.