Transcription
Hey everyone, Msco Electric here. Today is Sunday, April 26th, 2026, and this is the Current, your weekly EV news in about 10 minutes.
CL is the world's largest battery manufacturer, which produced about 40% of the global supply in 2025. This week they showcased next generation battery innovations at an event called the 2026 Super Technology Day. The event highlighted impressive fast charging capabilities, extended ranges, advanced new chemistries along with upgrades and expansion plans for their battery swapping infrastructure.
Among the key announcements is the third generation Shenzing super fast charging battery based on inexpensive lithium iron phosphate or LFP chemistry. These cells target mass market vehicles with a 10C equivalent charging rate and peak 15C rate enabling a charge from 10 to 98% in approximately 6 minutes and 27 seconds. Battery packs with these new cells can add 100 km or 62 mi of range in about 30 seconds and perform strongly in extreme cold temperatures, charging from 20 to 98% in just 9 minutes at minus30° C or -22° F while retaining over 90% capacity after 1,000 full fast charging cycles.
The company says the key to fast charging safely and without degradation comes from reducing the internal resistance of the cell. In turn, managing the heat created during fast charging. They have done this by integrating a nano crystallized cathode that acts as a super electronic network that excels at fast electron conduction and ion extraction. The anode specialized porous coating layer applied to the isotropic graphite surface accelerates ion insertion. The new anode and cathode technology is paired with a high conductivity electrolyte which reduces viscosity and resistance to lithium ion movement, helping manage heat generation during fast charging. On top of that, a smaller package cell with a new cooling system and strategy expands the cooling area roughly four times compared to bottom only cooling and improves efficiency by an additional 20%. The cell achieves the world's lowest internal resistance at just 0.25 milliohms, a 50% improvement beyond the industry average.
The third generation Chilein battery using nickel maganese cobalt or NMC chemistry for more expensive high-end and performance EVs delivers around 280 W hours per kilogram gravimetric energy density. Supports similar fast 10C charging and enables ranges exceeding 1,000 km or 620 mi. Chilein batteries feature enhanced safety features including thermal electric isolation through voltage control at each cell and dedicated gases venting in the case of a thermal event. The company explained that the increased energy density creates many positive engineering efficiencies and drops weight by 255 kg or 562 lbs in comparison to other LFP batteries with 1,000 km of range. CATL outlined how that mass reduction improves performance, evasive maneuvering, breaking distances, and durability. If you have been watching this channel long enough, you have already heard us stress these same points while promoting energy density and efficiency. Smaller batteries with greater range for the win.
At the tech day, CL also introduced the Chilean condensed semi-olidstate electrolyte equipped battery, which they plan to showcase in an aircraft demonstration supporting up to 500 W hours per kilogram soon. The technology will be integrated into EVs too with those automotive batteries achieving 350 W hours per kilogram while using premium aviation grade materials and delivering up to 1,500 km or 930 mi of range. These automotive semi-olidstate CATL batteries are designed for premium long range EVs with track oriented variants supporting an extreme 3 megawatt discharge rate, double the power from last year's benchmark.
During the presentation, CL also confirmed mass production of its Naxtra sodium ion battery will begin in the fourth quarter of 2026. With energy density around 175 watt hours per kilogram, which is comparable to most LFP, it targets costs sensitive applications with ranges over 400 km or 248 miles and is positioned as a lithium-free alternative with a successful extreme cold weather performance and industry-leading safety profile. Chairman and CEO Robin Zang projected that sodium ion batteries could eventually account for a whopping 30 to 40% of the overall global battery market.
On the infrastructure side, CL launched the updated Choco Swap battery swapping system. They introduced a new number 26 battery built on 800vt architecture. The initial 75 kilowatt hour version is designed for compact and midsize EVs, enabling full battery swaps in as little as 99 seconds. Eventually, they will offer smaller and larger sizes to accommodate their 18 automotive partners. All Choco Swap passenger and truck stations will integrate updated Shenzing Supercharging dispensers for fast charging capabilities and more efficient charging that owners can leverage through scheduled and pre-planned sessions during off- peak hours. Paying customers who opt in to charge at certain times can offset the cost of their rental or lease of the battery pack. CL plans to expand its Choco Swap network to more than 190 cities and 4,000 integrated stations by the end of 2026. They identified a target of over 100,000 facilities globally by 2028. CL currently operates more than 1,400 Choco Swap stations in China.
Their robust financials continue to fuel this innovation. In 2025, the company reported revenue of $423.7 billion RMBB or about 62 billion, which was up 17% year-over-year, and a net profit of 72.2 billion RMBB, which was up 42%. The company said it has reinvested 22.1 billion RMBB into research and development, representing about 5.23% 23% of revenue with cumulative R&D spending over the past decade exceeding 90 billion RMBB. CL's 2026 innovations continue to push the industry forward and make the value proposition of going electric increasingly irresistible for more drivers.
This week, Porsche announced the expansion of its all-electric lineup with the new Cayenne Coupe electric variants. The coupe shares the same 800volt powertrain, 113 kWh battery, and adaptive air suspension as the SUV siblings, but benefits from a lower drag coefficient of.23 versus.25 CD and adding slightly more range. The performance also mirrors the SUV models closely. The base version delivers 435 horsepower and 615 pound- feet of torque with 0 to 60 mph time in 4.5 seconds. The S-trim offers 657 horsepower and 796 pound- feet of torque with 0 to 60 mph acceleration in 3.6 seconds. And the turbo variant reaching up to 1,139 horsepower and 1,16 pound- feet of torque and a 2.4 4 second 0 to 60 mph time with launch control. All support DC fast charging hitting 10 to 80% in under 16 minutes at up to 400 kW. Pricing starts around $116,000 with deliveries expected late summer of 2026.
As Porsche's electric offering expands, their combustion portfolio is shrinking. They've agreed to sell its 45% stake in the Bugatti Remoths joint venture and its 20.6% holding in the Remoths group to a consortium led by New York-based investment firm HOF Capital. The deal also involves the recently formed Abu Dhabi based Blue Five Capital as the largest investor along with other institutional investors from the US and EU. Completion is expected by the end of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals. This transaction ends Volkswagen Group's long involvement with Bugatti, which it acquired in 1998. The move allows Porsche and by extension VW Group to refocus on its core sports car business and shed non-core assets. HF Capital will become a major shareholder in Reott's group alongside founder Mate Rematz while Reatz Group gains full control of Bugatti Reats to drive future growth in hypercars and electrification technologies. HF Capital, a multi-stage venture firm with over $10 billion in assets under management, has a notable portfolio, including SpaceX, Neuralink, XAI, Anthropic, Epic Games, SoFi, and CLA.
Hyundai Motor Group maintains its stake in Reott's group, and the company remains teamed up with BMW for co-development and production of high voltage battery systems for EVs, including the updated i7. The sale of the Bugatti stake injects muchneeded capital into Volkswagen Group and Porsche at a critical time in which softening EV demand, US tariffs, high electrification and software costs, and intense competition, especially in China, have created an urgent profitability challenge. VW has outlined aggressive cost cutting, targeting up to 20% reductions across brands by the end of 2028, including workforce reductions, lower production capacity, and broader restructuring to improve margins from recent lows around 2.8% up to 8 to 10% by 2030. For comparison, Tesla's most recent automotive profit margin was more than 20%. Selling these high-profile but capitalintensive stakes in ultra luxury and EV tech helps streamline operations, reduce exposure to volatile supercar segments, and free up resources for core brands, including their multi-billion dollar technology partnership with Riven.
This week, three key Western EV automakers kicked off customer production of highly anticipated new models, signaling accelerating momentum in electric transportation, autonomy, and affordability. Rivian officially began customer production of its R2 midsize electric SUV on April 22nd at its normal Illinois plant, just days after an EF1 tornado caused roof damage to part of the facility. The more affordable R2, positioned as a volume seller with an eventual starting price around $45,000, is expected to begin customer deliveries later this spring. CEO RJ Scarring personally drove the first customer ready unit off the line. Volvo Cars started production of its all-electric midsize EX60 SUV on the same day at its Torsland plant in Gothberg, Sweden. The EX60 is slated for customer delivery starting in early summer and US deliveries by fall. Finally, Tesla confirmed that mass production of the Cyber Cab robo taxi has begun at Giga Texas with CEO Elon Musk sharing updates on the milestone in their recent earnings call. The futuristic autonomous vehicle with optional steering wheel and pedals is central to Tesla's robo taxi ambitions. On the call, Musk set the expectation of an initially gradual production ramp and noted that they expect to be operational with robo taxis in 12 states before the end of the year. He also said Tesla hoped to host a next generation roadster demonstration in May. During the call, company leaders cited battery pack production capacity as a current vehicle production bottleneck. VP of vehicle engineering Lars Moravi said that they are actively working to improve production rate ahead of anticipated demand increases. Model Wise built in Berlin, Germany recently launched packs using in-house 4680 cells which are a structural pack design unlike module-based 21700 packs. Which of these three EVs are you most excited about?
MercedesBenz has officially unveiled its first allectric C-Class midsize sedan built on the new MB.EA platform, a bigger brother to the existing electric CLA. The launch version, the C4004matic, features dual electric motors producing 482 horsepower and 590 pound- feet of torque, enabling a 0 to 60 mph sprint in approximately 3.9 seconds. It's powered by a 94 kWh lithium ion battery using an 800volt architecture. Mercedes claims up to 473 mi of range on the WLTP cycle for the launch variant with EPA figures not yet announced. For the US market, the vehicle will be equipped with a native North American charging system port with access to Tesla's supercharging network. It will accept DC fast charging speeds up to 330 kW, adding roughly 200 mi of range in just 10 minutes using 800volt dispensers. The car will also include a DC converter for lower speeds on 400volt charging as well. Like the new EQS detailed in our previous episode of the current, the C-Class electric will include a two-speed automatic transmission on the rear axle, optional air suspension, and 4.5° rear axle steering. The wheelbase has been extended by about 3.8 in for improved interior space. And as far as storage goes, the trunk has a capacity of 16.6 cubic feet. And there's a small frunk up front. The MBUX Hypers screen that spans nearly 40 in across the dashboard and augmented reality head-up display are available options. The infotainment will include an AI virtual assistant integrating chat GPT40, Microsoft Bing, and Google Gemini, but the navigation system commands will leverage Google Maps. Production is scheduled to begin later in 2026 with the C4004matic expected to reach US dealerships in the first half of 2027. Additional variants, including more efficient rearwheel drive models, will follow. US pricing has not been officially confirmed, but more details on exact US specifications and full pricing are expected closer to launch.
That wraps up this episode of the current weekly EV news. If you'd like to support our work, I hope you'll consider becoming a channel member. Our monthly YouTube channel members gain access to the current each week as soon as I upload it, sometimes as early as Saturday afternoon. Paid membership also gets you access to exclusive coverage, a discount on miscolectric merchandise from miscolectric.com, access to archived live streams, and more. The link to become a member is here and in this video's description. Thank you for joining us this week, and until next time, drive, fly, ride, go electric. Go electric.