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Herald Sun
17-07-2025
- Automotive
- Herald Sun
BHP signs deal with China's CATL despite US Pentagon blacklist
Mining heavyweight BHP has struck an agreement with two of China's most powerful battery manufacturers, including one currently blacklisted by the United States Department of Defence. The memorandums of understanding (MoU) signed this week will see Chinese battery giants - BYD's battery subsidiary FinDreams, and Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL), collaborate on electrifying heavy-duty mining equipment, developing fast-charging infrastructure, and advancing battery recycling technologies across BHP mines. CATL is the largest EV battery supplier in the world, with clients ranging from Tesla, Volkswagen and Toyota. MORE: Massive car companies stop all US imports Chinese battery manufacturer CATL's domestic car business chief technology officer (CTO) Gao Huang speaks at CATL Tech Day ahead of the Shanghai Auto Show in Shanghai on April 21, 2025. (Photo by WANG Zhao / AFP) MORE: Car giant's $7 billion loss, 20k staff sacked But in January this year, the Pentagon added CATL to its official blacklist, flagging it as a 'Chinese military company' with links to Beijing's military-industrial complex. US Representative House Select Committee on China chairman John Moolenaar warned that companies like CATL were a serious threat to the country. 'We cannot allow these loaded guns to threaten our economy and security,' he told CBT news. The designation, under Section 1260H of the US National Defence Authorisation Act does not act as a ban, but warns American entities from investing in the company due to national security concerns. BHP did not address the blacklisting in its statement but BHP group procurement officer Rashpal Bhatti said the move is part of its long term strategy to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from its operations by 2050. 'This strategic relationship marks further progress in BHP's work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from our operations and enable support for further developments within the global resources sector,' he said. MORE: Inside China's total domination of Australia BHP is moving to transform their haul truck fleets into battery-electric powered machines. Picture: Supplied CATL head of overseas business Tan Libin said it would collaborate with BHP on a number of areas. 'Together with forward-thinking resources companies like BHP, we aim to demonstrate how advanced battery technologies can decarbonise mining operations, logistics, and product delivery, accelerating a more sustainable, efficient future while creating long-term value and transforming the global resources industry through innovation,' he said. While the transition to electric mining fleet is a great step forward, experts say it also introduces new safety risks that must be carefully managed. According to Swinburne University School of Engineering Professor Weixiang Shen said mine sites expose battery systems to 'extremely harsh' conditions, including heat, dust, vibration and humidity, all of which increase the risk of failure. He said fast charging can cause batteries to overheat rapidly, combined with the risk of internal short circuits or electrical sparks during equipment switching, this can lead to thermal runaway, a dangerous chain reaction that can result in fires or explosions. Scenic aerial golden hour sunrive over Broken Hill mining city in Far West NSW of Australia. Escape 13 April 2025 Hotlist Photo - iStock 'Mitigating these risks requires the development of purpose-designed battery energy and thermal management systems capable of real-time monitoring, control and cooling as well as explosion-proof enclosures, all tailored to mining environments,' he said. 'Together, these systems provide robust protection against environmental hazards, ensuring the safe and reliable operation of battery-powered equipment in mining applications.' Professor Shen added that lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, which offer better thermal stability than other chemistries, are currently considered the safest option in high-risk settings like mine sites. BYD and CATL are currently dominating the global battery market. According to South Korean research firm SNE Research, CATL and BYD held 38.1 per cent and 17. 4 per cent of global EV battery market share from January to May this year. In China, CATL accounted for 43.7 per cent of battery installations in June alone. Currently the company has a market capitalisation of approximately A$263.61 billion. As of December 2024, CATL also holds nearly 63 per cent market share in the premium electric vehicle market, having supplied nearly 2.22 million cars so far. Originally published as BHP turns to China to kill diesel
Tatler Asia
19-05-2025
- Automotive
- Tatler Asia
Meet CATL, the world's largest EV battery maker, powering the electric vehicle boom
Cutting-edge battery technologies Above CATL's Shenxing Superfast Charging Battery can provide up to 800 km in range. (Photo: CATL) In the race for battery dominance, CATL keeps on top of its competitors with its continuous innovations. Just after BYD announced its 1 megawatt fast-charging technology, CATL introduced its second-generation Shenxing Superfast Charging battery in April 2025 with an 800 km range and a peak charging power of 1.3 megawatts. This means that with a compatible charger, the new CATL battery can have a range of 520 km in 5 minutes, compared to BYD's 400 km. The Shenxing battery will be used in more than 60 EV models this year. Above CATL's EV batteries are also widely used in light trucks, commercial vehicles and city buses. (Photo: CATL) Also announced last month at the CATL Tech Day in Shanghai is the Naxtra sodium-ion battery, the first mass-produced battery of its type. The battery uses sodium as its main component, which is more abundant and cheaper to produce compared to other battery types that rely on more expensive raw materials, leading to lower production costs. When Naxtra batteries arrive in the market at the end of the year, EVs will have around 500 km of range. The batteries also have the benefit of being safer and less prone to fire or explosion during a collision compared to traditional lithium-based batteries. To address range anxiety, CATL also developed the Freevoy Dual-Power battery. The battery's dual power architecture means that a single battery can have a main energy zone and an extended range energy zone. This gives the battery a maximum energy storage capacity that's good for a 1,500 km range, making it comparable to a hybrid vehicle. A trade ware between superpowers Because of geopolitical issues, not everything has been smooth sailing for CATL. In January 2025, the company was added to a United States Department of Defense (DoD) blacklist designating it as a 'Chinese Military Company'. CATL has released a statement that refutes this claim and said that it has 'never engaged in any military-related business or activities'. It also said that it would engage with the DoD to address the listing and take legal action if needed. Above CATL's Smart Micro-grid Energy Storage Solution is designed as a charging station for EVs. (Photo: CATL) CATL has also encountered legal and regulatory challenges with its push for overseas expansion in Europe and the US. In March 2025, the US Congress passed a bill that restricts the Department of Homeland Security from buying batteries from six Chinese-linked companies, including CATL, beginning October 2027. The bill intends to reduce dependency on batteries produced by countries deemed adversarial to the US. The bill is now under review by the US Senate. After its IPO, CATL will definitely have its hands full as it rises to the challenge of developing the latest battery technology for passenger and commercial EVs and other industrial applications such as wide-scale energy storage solutions. NOW READ BYD's megawatt charger promises lightning fast EV charging Mercedes just launched its first all-electric Mercedes-Maybach SUV in Malaysia Chinese EV brands to watch out for
