The Chinese language electrical automotive producer Leapmotor has introduced its first manufacturing mannequin with cell-to-chassis expertise, through which the battery is built-in into the automobile physique.
The Leapmotor C01 electrical sedan is scheduled to hit the Chinese language market earlier than the tip of the second quarter of 2022.
Based on the producer, the C01 will supply round 700 kilometres NEDC vary with a 90 kWh battery. As Leapmotor states on its homepage, the corporate’s cell-to-chassis expertise (CTC) integrates the battery modules into the automobile physique.
The person cells are thus nonetheless surrounded by a housing in teams. Nevertheless, the module housing is now not constructed into the battery pack housing.
On this manner, the CTC expertise is much like the so-called cell-to-pack strategy (CTP) pursued by CATL and BYD, for instance. Right here, the module is omitted and the cells are built-in straight into the battery pack.
The pack then takes over the management and temperature regulation of the cells straight. With CTC expertise, that is managed by the person modules. Nevertheless, the underbody of the C01 is designed to simulate a type of battery field.
Leapmotor is reluctant to offer detailed details about its answer. On its web site, it says that it achieves a better impression resistance of the battery and likewise improves the torsional stiffness of the physique – however the latter normally additionally applies to finish battery packs which can be built-in into the underbody in a single piece.
In March, Leapmotor filed for its Hong Kong IPO – and introduced eight new electrical vehicles by 2025 within the IPO prospectus. At the moment, the corporate, based in 2015, sells the T03 small automotive, the S01 coupé and the C11 SUV.
Even then, the C01 was introduced as a five-metre sedan for the present 12 months. Nevertheless, Leapmotor has nonetheless saved quiet concerning the particular function of the battery.
Based on reviews, the C01 and the C11 (as a competitor to the MG Marvel R) is also launched in Europe – however the producer has not but confirmed this.